bAteumens 0% Foyt pie e Ss oi saz Y ee tray = Teer ae ere at siti esee: - “Linde e ee tie er . as ~ mae 3 - Pa Ea Sr ees wae ities : ws : “ : Akeke meet =d i a sectarian epee -*. x erat? he eperinet sSigpepenressenge oaseretelsesmepeecseeeen ey E Sh esis wy bs. —— Ba See be EOS ae Patan <* » Ente -) lead i ay lintel > lh de pa Y* tee! tel Tet ee me in neds ae Py et 7 pe Tey mya ex zones 7 ee Se eT OAD Se Eves Pee reer Se ea aE Me Sn on arcana a Pp ere ts pee ae mv oad j= e ee =. t uv 3 = at # _ 4 4 ¥ ' ii Fi > hae “ « 4 BULLETIN of the BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB EDITED BY Dr. J. F. MONK Volume 96 1976 PRICE: FOUR POUNDS FIFTY PENCE PREFACE It has been possible to maintain Vol. 96 at 144 pages and the waiting time for publication of submitted papers usually at six months or less. Costs have continued to rise, but every effort will be made to avoid reducing the size of Vol. 97. The Editor is glad to be able to thank his predecessor, Sir Hugh Elliott, for making his introduction to the editorial chair so painless and for providing such detailed advice on the running of the Bulletin for its continued ease of production. Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Benson and Mrs. M. Hawksley are to be generously thanked for their time-consuming work in preparing the lists, index and corrigenda, and Mr. C. W. Benson for the considerable work entailed in supplying relevant matter from the International Trust for Zoological Nomen- clature, who kindly allow us to reprint it from the Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature for the benefit of our readers. Mr. K. E. Wiltsher and his staff have withstood the editorial change and hand-wrtiting without sign or sound of impatience and have as ever published the Bu//etin punctually each quarter, for which I am most grateful. ‘JAMES F. MONK COMMITTEE 1975—76 Prof. J. H. Etcoon, Chairman (1974) P. Hoce, Vice-Chairman (1974) Sit HuGu Exuiorr (1975) Dr. J. F. Monk (1976) R. E. F. Peat, Hon. Secretary (1971) M. St.J. Succ, Hon. Treasurer (1974) J. H. R. Boswatt (1973) } Editors Mrs. J. D. BRADLEY (1975) Dr. C. J. O. Harrison (1974) C. E. WHEELER (1975) 1976-77 Prof. J. H. Excoop, Chairman (1974) P. Hoce, Vice-Chairman (1974) Dr. J. F. Monk, Editor (1976) R. E. F. Pear, Hon. Secretary (1971) M. St. J. Succ, Hon. Treasurer (1974) Dr. G. BEVEN (1976) Mrs. J. D. BRADLEY (1975) Dr. C. J. O. HARRISON (1974) -C. E. WHEELER (1975) ill LIST OF MEMBERS: AMENDMENTS UP TO 31st DECE ER;1976 ‘ (Compiled by the Hon. Secretary and Hon. Treasurer) | New Members Arira, Ichiro, Forest Ecological Laboratory, College of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo, Kyoto 606, Japan. Austin, George T., Dept. of Biological Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada 89154, U.S.A. BrEckING, Dr. J-H., I.T.A.L., Postbus 48, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Brrr, T., Tawside, 30 Park Avenue, Barnstaple, Devon. BELMAN, P. J., 107 Grange Road, Ealing, London Ws 3PH. Bynon, J., Doct. és Ling., School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, London WC1E 7HP. Care, J. A. D., Kapsumbeiwa Estate, P.O. Box I, Nandi Hills, Kenya. CoxureR, Gerald, pH.p., Dept. of Zoology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182, U.S.A. Davties, Miss H. M., B.sc., 43 Endcliffe Glen Road, Sheffield S11 8RW. Dirks, Mrs. J. M., P.O. Box 30601, Nairobi, Kenya. DooremMans, H. P., P.O. Box 1659, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. FrsHer, D. J., 9 Hurford Place, Cyncoed, Cardiff CF2 6QZ. Gatswortny, A. C., M.A., 1 Kingsthorpe Court, Raymond Road, Wimbledon, London SWi9 4AE. Goster, A. G., 24 Baronsmede, Ealing, London W5. KENDALL, Marion D., pu.p., Dept. of Anatomy, St. Thomas’s Hospital Medical School, London SE1. Lewis, A. D., px.p., Dept. of Earth Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, Bucks. Lucey, R. G., 35 Sandpiper Street, Yellow Wood Park, Durban 4001, Republic of South Africa. Massey, M. J., 85 Park Avenue East, Ewell, Epsom, Surrey KT17 2PA. Nicuots, Mrs. Holly A. J., 10611 Mt. Boracho, San Antonio, Texas 78213, U.S.A. O’Manony, B., Kelvin, Well Road, Cork, Ireland. Orr, I. C., M.A., B.PHIL., Resident Clerk’s Flat, Downing St. West, Foreign and Common- wealth Office, London SW1A 2AH. Parrott, J. R., Aberdeen University Bird Club, Zoology Dept., Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen ABg 2TN, Scotland. REDMAN, P. S., Redwings, Crowhurst, Battle, Sussex. RricHARDsON, M. E., M.R.C.G.P., 48 Silverknowes Crescent, Edinburgh EH4 5 JB, Scotland. SMALLEY, M. E., pH.p., M.R.C. Laboratories, Fajara, P.O. Box 273, Banjul, The Gambia, West Africa. Snow, D. W., D.sc., Zoological Museum, Tring, Herts. THIBAULT, J-C., 15 rue Daubenton, Paris 75005, France. Virrery, A., Maputo, c/o F.C.O., King Charles Street, London SW1A 2AH. Voous, Prof. Dr. K. H., V.D. Duyn Van Maasdamlaan 28, Huizen, N.H., The Netherlands. Witson, R. T., 21 Westfield Grove, Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Woop, J. B., B.sc., Zoology Dept., University College, Gower Street, London WC1E 1BT iv Resignations Duptatx-HAt., Mrs. N. TEMPLETON, R. K. Mowunrrorp, A. R. TREE, A. J. NercuHesour, Lieut.-Col. J. R. Removed from Membership BRIGHTEN, R. PLowDEN Warp.aw, W. J., Coss, S. J. W. Campbell of Craigie Forses-Watson, A. D. Prescott, K. W. FULLAGER, P. J. Start, A. N. Matco.rm, N. S. Wo.LsTENcROoFT, J. A. Youne, K. B. MERIWANTI, Y. Vv LIST OF AUTHORS AND CONTENTS ACCOUNTS, 1975 2 ot wh i _ -. 42-43 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (84th) . “E a A if * _ 41 Benson, C. W. Symposium on African birds (in part) . “A iy + v4 41 Specimens of Neodrepanis eats in Dresden i i * be 144 Books RECEIVED ; ne 36 bis oe 2 os 144 Britton, P. L. and BRITTON, HLA. The nest and eggs of Tauraco fischeri ot és . deez be .. 134-136 Britton, P. L. and Osporng, T. O. The race of Sterna bergii in Kenya - is ite ax we .. 132-134 Brooks, R. K. Morphological notes on Acridotheres tristisin Natal .. + % st 8-13 Buccal colours of sunbirds as an age character .. 58-59 Layard’s extralimital records in his Birds of South Africa and in the South African Museum 7 a re i ae i .. 75-80 Brown, L. H. Observations on Pel’s Fishing Owl] Scotopelia peli re 49-53 Breeding records of Hemprich’s Hornbill Tockus hemprichii in Tigrai, Ethiopia 81-82 Brown, L. H. and THorocoop, K. M. Ecology and breeding habits of the White-billed ie eg es albi- rostris in Tigrai, Ethiopia os 60-64 BROWNING, M. RALPH Remarks on the validity of Carpodacus roseus sachalinensis Portenko .. 2. 44-47 Bruce, Murray D. Earliest record of the Torres Strait Pigeon Ducula spilorrhoa from Lord Howe Island, with comments on the subspecies me/villensis a m9 ~. 97-99 See also ORENSTEIN BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGICAL NOMENCLATURE Opinions 1037 and 1046 .. be oe iy ae ae - .. 142-143 Direction 107 ia 0 ae mae xa an wi Ke vy 143 Burton, P. J. K. See McLouGHLIN CHEKE, R. A. Notes on a nesting female Variable Sunbird Nectarinia venusta. . “ie ie 5-8 Grancey, P. A. The subspecific status of the southern African Se as of Streptopelia semitorquata (Ruppell) . 34-38 Subspeciation in the Marico Flycatcher Melaenornis mariquensis (Smith) of Southwestern Africa .. 53-57 Further on subspeciation in the Red-billed Oxpecker Buphagus erythrorh wynchus 102-105 CoLEBROOK-ROBJENT, J. F. R. and StjERNSTEDT, R. Chaplin’s Barbet Lybius chaplini: first description of BBs, a new host record for the Lesser Honeyguide /ndicator minor .. 3 i .. LO9Q-I11 CoMMITTEE, 1975 REPORT OF .. 23 ay eg i ne i * I Dean, W. R. qe Sympatric Cisticola spp. and the competition exclusion principle. 38-39 Breeding records of Crex Br egies Myrmecocichla nigra and Cichladusa ruficanda from Angola, ..; : a S: a ste “ ay .. 48-49 DICKERMAN, RosBEerrT W. Caprimuleus Ssericocaudatus mengeli subsp. nov. .. a eh. ar ad 80 Brmorr, G.-G-H, Symposium on African birds (in part) .. re = a a ox 41 Exxurotr, Sir HuGH Symposium on African birds (in part) .. are aus by; es ra 41 Erarp, C Comments on the races of Lybius melanocephalus (Cretzschmar) in Ethiopia.. 107-109 ForsBEs-WAtTson, A. D. See TURNER vi GILLMOR, ROBERT An address on Bird Illustrations. . Me 3 3% us =) oe 81 Gorton, Eric On a variety of the Moorhen Gallinula chloropus from Northern England .. 47-48 Grimes, L. G. The vocalizations of the Green Longtail Urolais epichlora .. ie UGG 191 The duets of Laniarius atroflavus, Cisticola discolor and Bradypterus barratti .. 11 3-120 biAEL B. P. Symposium on African birds (in part) .. a de ay gs mae 41 Harris, M. P. An illustrated address on Puffins on St. Kilda .. 2 oi : Bis 113 Harrison, C. J. O. An illustrated addtess on eggs .. ke) rf 4I The wing proportions of the Eocene Diver Colymboides anglicus ie 64-65 The tendinal canals of the hypotarsi as a taxonomic character of water birds 82-88 Harvey, W..G. Caprimuleus apinis as an urban species in Indonesia... a of ». 122-123 Harvey, W. G. and Hotes, D. A. Additions to the avifaunas of Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia .. ee GO-92 Homes, D. A. A record of White-winged Wood Duck Catrina scutulata in Sumatta. . 2s © 88-89 See also HARVEY HoryoaK, DD. 1: Halcyon ‘ ‘ruficollaris” hs ne '[ na 40 Additional notes on the status of Hos goodfellowi ae ne ot .. 120-122 Karr, JAMEs R. Weights of Atticat bitds\ “55 2 as “3 oH am os .. 92-96 Kear, J. An addtess on the role of zoos .. o% i, vy 5% v4 7 1-2 KNox, ALAN G. The Taxonomic Status of the Scottish Crossbill Loxia sp... ie .. I§-19 LAck) Prrer :C. The first tecorded nest of the Pink-breasted Lark eles poecilosterna (Reichenow)> 7). . we ae bi = oe i. MEET Le LurtHErR, JOHN S. See REMSEN McLoueu.uin, E. and Burron, P. J. K. Notes on the Hawk-headed Parrot Deroptyus accipitrinus a wi $47 68272 MeEapD, C. J. See PEIRCE MeEpway, Lorp See WELLS O’NErLL, JOHN P. and Parker, III, THEODoRE A. New subspecies of Schizoeaca fuliginosa and Uromyias agraphia from Petru .. 136-141 ORENSTEIN, RONALD I. and Bruce, Murray D Comments on the nesting and plumage of the Orange Dove Péé/inopus victor 2-4 OsBorRNng, TJ. O. See BRITTON Parker, III, THEODORE A. See O’ NEILL PARKES, KENNETH C, The status of Avratinga astec melloni Twomey .. i 22 i 56 MERE T'5 Perrce, M. A. and Mzap, C. J Haematozoa of British birds. I. Blood parasites of birds from Dumfries and Lincolnshire .. os as v tt at: ie 3 a cy PRIGOGINE, A. Occurrence of the Madagascar Squacco Heron Ardeola idae in Central Africa 96-97 REMSEN, J. V., LurHER, JOHN S. and RoBERson, DoN A Ringed Woodpecker Celeus torquatus in Colombia .. if, iy f 40 RoOBERSON, DON See REMSEN vii SmitH, A. P. Vagrant Lapwings Vanellus spp. in Brunei... a ails = ee 80 Snow, D. W. Agapornis swinderniana in Ghana .. ie +s a a2 a4 . 106 SOUTHERN, H. N An illustrated address on a population of Tawny Owls... a8 ae 113 STJERNSTEDT, R. See COLEBROOK-ROBJENT THomson, A. LANDSBOROUGH The name of Eleonora’s Falcon .. ee *r = se Ae ws 112 THOROGOOD, K. M. See BRowN Turner, D. A. and Forses-WarTson, A. D. Additional Migrant Records from Seychelles .. cts Sis Status of the White-crowned Starling Spreo albicapillus (Blyth) i in Kenya nie 58 We ts, D. R. and Mepway, Lorp Taxonomic and faunistic notes on birds of the Malay Peninsula... a) a Oa Wuirtes, C. M.N. The problem of the cassowary in New Britain .. 5 - .. 66-68 Comments on the Dusky Moorhen Ga/linula tenebrosa. . ad PP .. 125-128 Wutson, R. T. The Ostrich Struthio camelus in Darfur, Republic of Sudan .. wa .. 123-125 WooDELL, REBECCA Variation in juvenile plumage of Centropus toulou toulou siinieaihe and Centropus toulou insularis Ridgway a rv We shi ; ms aan PIS Vill INDEX TO SCIENTIFIC NAMES (Compiled by C. W. Benson with the assistance of Mrs. C. W. Benson and Mrs. M. Hawksley) All generic and specific names (of birds only) are indexed. Subspecific names are included only if new and are also indexed in bold print under the generic and the specific names. Any other new name is indexed likewise in bold print. | Abroscopus superciliaris 30 ambiguus, Palaeolodus 85 Acanthis cannabina 129 Amblyospiza albifrons 95 — flammea 129 americana, Mycteria 85 Accipiter rufitorques 3 amethystina, Nectarinia 59 — tachiro 94 Ampelion sclateri 136 accipitrinus, Deroptyus 68-72 Andropadus curvirostris 94 Acridothetes tristis 8-13 — latirostris 94 Actrocephalus schoenobaenus 129 — masukuensis 94 — scifpaceus 129 — virens 94 Acryllium vulturinum 77 anglicus, Colymboides 64-65 aequatorialis, Sheppardia 95 Anhinga anhinga 84 aequinoctialis, Procellaria 77-78 anhinga, Anhinga 84 Aerodtramus brevirostris 26 anna, Calypte 7 — francicus 79 Anous stolidus 79 — fuciphagus 26 — tenuirostris 79 — maximus 26 Anseranas semipalmata 85 aestiva, Amazona 70-71 antarctica, Pygostelis 85 aethereus, Phaethon 21, 84 Anthracoceros coronatus 27 aethiopicus, Laniarius 94 Anthreptes fraseri 95 Aethopyga mystacalis 31 — platura 7 — saturata 31 Anthus pratensis 129 — sipatraja 31 Apalis tot affinis, Batrachostomus 25 — flavida 95 —, Caprimulgus 122 apivorus, Pernis 57 —, Curruca 142 approximans, Circus 3 africanoides, Buphaga 105 apricaria, Pluvialis 77 Agapornis cana 78 aquila, Fregata 84 — swinderniana 106 Aratinga astec 13-15 agilis, Uromyias 141 — mana 15 agraphia, Uromyias 136, 140-141 Ardea cinerea 21-22, 85-86 Ajaja ajaja 85 — leucoptetra 77-78 ajaja, Ajaja 85 Ardeola idae 77, 96-97 alba, Calidris 77 — talloides 77, 96-97 —, Gygis 79 atdeola, Dromas 77-78 —, Motacilla 129 ardesiaca, Egretta 78 albicapillus, Spreo 58 argentatus, Larus 85 albifrons, Amblyospiza 95 atidula, Cisticola 38 albipectus, Trichastoma 95 arquata, Numenius 77-78, 85 albirostris, Onychognathus 60-61 - assimilis, Puffinus 76 alboterminatus, Tockus 77 astec, Aratinga 13-15 Alca torda 85 —, Conurus 14 Alcedo leucogaster 94 ater, Parus 129 Alcyone ruficollaris 40 atra, Fulica 48 Alethe diademata 94 atricapilla, Estrilda 96 — poliocephala 94 —, Sylvia 129 alexandrinus, Charadrius 77 atrococcineus, Laniarius 119 althaea, Sylvia 142 atroflavus, Laniarius 113-114, 119 Amaurornis phoenicurus 48 Aviceda leuphotes 90 Amazona aestiva 70-71 ayresii, Cisticola 38-39 — guildingii 72 Aythya fuligula 85 bairdi, Prinia 95 Balaeniceps rex 84, 87 balasiensis, Cypsiurus 26 Balearica pavonina 89 banyumas, Cyornis 31 barbarus, Laniarius 114, 119 barbatus, Criniger 94 —, Pycononotus 94 barratti, Bradypterus 113, 117-118 batesi, Nectarinia 59 Bathmocercus cerviniventris 95 Batrachostomus affinis 25 — javensis 25 baumanni, Phyllastrephus 94 becki, Casuarius 67 bengalensis, Centropus 25 bennetti, Casuarius 66 bergii, Sterna 132-134 bernsteini, Sterna 24 bicolor, Nigrita 96 bifasciata, Nectarinia 59 bilineatus, Pogoniulus 94 Biziura lobata 85 Bleda canicapilla 94 — eximia 94 — syndactyla 94 blissetti, Platysteira 95 blythii, Onychognathus 60 borbonica, Phedina 131 borealis, Phylloscopus 30 borin, Sylvia 129 bornea, Eos 120 Botaurus stellaris 84 bourbonnensis, Terpsiphone 79 Brachypteryx leucophrys 29-30 brachyrhynchus, Oriolus 96 brachyurus, Micropternus 27 Bradornis mariquensis 56 Bradypterus barratti 113, 117-118 brehmeri, Turtur 94 brevicaudata, Camaroptera 95 brevirostris, Aerodramus 26 brunnescens, Cisticola 38 Bubo lacteus 50 Bubulcus 77 — ibis 79 Buccanodon duchaillui 94 Buphaga africanoides 105 Buphagus erythrorhynchus 102-105 Buteo 57 Butorides striatus 77-78 caetuleus, Parus 129 Cairina scutulata 88-89 Calidris alba 77 — ferruginea 77 — minuta 77 — ruficollis 90 — subminuta go calliope, Selasphorus 7 ix calurus, Criniger 94 calvus, Geronticus 85 Calypte anna 7 Calyptomena viridis 27-28 Camaroptera brevicaudata 95 — chloronota 95 camelus, Struthio 123 Campethera nivosa 94 cana, Agapornis 78 canicapilla, Bleda 94 —, Nigrita 95 cannabina, Acanthis 129 capense, Daption 76 Caprimulgus affinis 122 — sericocaudatus 80 catbo, Phalacrocorax 84 Carduelis carduelis 129 carduelis, Carduelis 129 Carpodacus roseus 44—46 caspia, Sterna 79, 134 castanea, Platysteira 95 castaniceps, Seicercus 25, 30 castro, Oceanodroma 84 Casuarius becki 67 — bennetti 66 — casuarius 66 — foersteri 67 — keysseri 67 — unappendiculatus 66-67 casuarius, Casuarius 66 caudacuta, Chaetura 26 Celeus 27 — torquatus 40 Centropus bengalensis 25 — toulou 25, 72-75 Cepphus grylle 85 Cercotrichas leucostictus 94 — quadrivirgata 94 Certhia familiaris 129 cerviniventris, Bathmocercus 95 Ceyx lecontei 94 Chaetodon punctatus 142 Chaetura caudacuta 26 chalybea, Nectarinia 59 chaplini, Lybius 109-110 Charadrius alexandrinus 77 — hiaticula 129 chilensis, Phoenicopterus 85 chinensis, Streptopelia 8 chloris, Nicator 94 Chlorocichla flaviventris 94 — simplex 94 chloronota, Camaroptera 95 chloronotus, Criniger 94 chloropus, Gallinula 47, 127 chloropygia, Nectarinia 95 Chordeiles 122 Chrysocolaptes validus 27 Chrysoenas 3—4 chrysostoma, Diomedea 76-77 chubbi, Cisticola 119 Cichladusa ruficauda 48 cinerascens, Circus 78 cinerea, Ardea 21-22, 85-86 — Motacilla 129 cinereus, Vanellus 80 Circaetus gallicus 77 Circus approximans 3 — cinerascens 78 — macrosceles 78 — maillardii 78 — pygargus 78 — spilonotus 78 citrocephalus, Larus 78-79 Cisticola aridula 38 — ayresii 38-39 — brunnescens 38 — chubbi 119 — discolor 113-116, 118-119 — erythrops 95 — exilis 91 — hunteri 115, 119 — juncidis 38, 91 — nigriloris 115, 119 —— textii 38-26 cleaveri, Trichastoma 95 Cochlearius cochlearius 84-87 cochlearius, Cochlearius 84-87 coelebs, Fringilla 129 Colius striatus 94 Collocalia esculenta 26 collurio, Lanius 77 Collyrio corvinus 77 Columba guinea 62 — livia 131 — palumbus 3, 131 columbianus, Cygnus 85 Colymboides anglicus 64-65 — minutus 65, 84, 87 communis, Sylvia 129 concolor, Hirundo 28 —, Macrosphenus 95 concreta, Platysteira 95 conures, Pyrrhura 72 Conurus astec 14 Coracina novaehollandiae 28 — _ typica 79 Coracopsis nigra 78 corax, Corvus 85-86 coronatus, Anthracoceros 27 corvinus, Collyrio 77 Corvus corax 85-86 — enca' 28 — macrorhynchos 28 corythaix, Tauraco 135 Cossypha cyanocampter 95 — natalensis 95 Crex egregia 48 Criniger barbatus 94 — calurus 94 Criniger chloronotus 94 crispus, Pelecanus 84 cristatus, Podiceps 84 croiseti, Gervaisia 87 crumeniferus, Leptoptilos 77—78 cucullatus, Ploceus 95 Cuculus poliocephalus 25 — saturatus 25 cuprea, Nectarinia 59, 95 Curruca affinis 142 curruca, Sylvia 129 curvirostta, Loxia 15-19 curvirostris, Andropadus 94 cuvieri, Dryolimnas 78 cyanea, Platysteira 95 cyanocampter, Cossypha 95 cyanomelas, Trochocetcus 95 Cygnus columbianus 85 Cyornis banyumas 31 — tubeculoides 31 — rufigastra 31 — tickelliae 31 — whitei 31 Cypsiurus balasiensis 26 dactylatra, Sula 21, 79, 84 Daption capense 76 debilis, Phyllastrephus 94 Delichon urbica 28, 129 Dendrobiastes hyperythrus 31 Dendrocygna viduata 78, 85, 87 Deroptyus accipitrinus 68-72 desolata, Pachyptila 77 diademata, Alethe 94 Dicaeum ignipectus 32 — trigonostigma 32 Dicrurus ludwigii 96 Diomedea chrysostoma 76-77 — exulans 76 — melanophrys 84 discolor, Cisticola 113-116, 118-119 Dissouta episcopus 85 domesticus, Passer 8 dominica, Pluvialis 77 Drepane 142-143 Drepanichthys 143 Drepanis 143 Drepanoptila holosericea 3—4 Dromas ardeola 77-78 Dryolimnas cuvieri 78 duchaillui, Buccanodon 94 Ducula spilorrhoa 97—98 duvaucelii, Harpactes 26 ecaudatus, Terathopius 77-78 edolioides, Melaenornis 95 egregia, Crex 48 Egretta 77 — ardesiaca 78 — gularis 78 eleonorae, Falco 112 Emberiza schoeniclus 129 enca, Corvus 28 Enixe 143 Eos bornea 120 — goodfellowi 120-121 — tfubra 120 — squamata 121 epichlora, Urolais 99-101 episcopus, Dissoura 85 Erithacus rubecula 129 erythrocephalus, Harpactes 26 erythrogaster, Laniarius 114, 119 erythrophrys, Turtur 37 erythrops, Cisticola 95 erythropus, Tringa 77 erythrorhynchus, Buphagus 102-105 erythrothorax, Stiphrornis 95 esculenta, Collocalia 26 Rstrilda atricapilla 96 — troglodytes 96 Eulampis jugularis 7 eurizonoides, Rallina 23-24 Eurystomus glaucurus 78 exilis, Cisticola 91 eximia, Bleda 94 exulans, Diomedea 76 falcinellus, Plegadis 85 Falco eleonorae 112 — peregrinus 3 familiaris, Certhia 129 famosa, Nectarinia 5 ferruginea, Calidris 77 Ficedula hyperythra 31 — hypoleuca 129 — solitaris 31 fischeri, Phyllastrephus 94 —, Tauraco 134-136 flammea, Acanthis 129 flavida, Apalis 95 flavipes, Notiochelidon 136 flaviscapis, Pteruthius 28-29 flaviventris, Chlorocichla 94 —, Prinia 91 foersteri, Casuarius 67 francicus, Aerodramus 79 Francolinus pintadeanus 79 fraseri, Anthreptes 95 —, Neocossyphus 95 frater, Onychognathus 60 Fregata aquila 84 — minor 79 Fregetta grallaria 76-77 Fringilla coelebs 129 fuciphagus, Aerodramus 26 Fulica atra 48 fuliginosa, Schizoeaca 136-139 fuligula, Aythya 85 Fulmarus glacialis 84 xi Fulmarus glacialoides 77 fulvescens, Trichastoma 95 fuscata, Sterna 79 gallicus, Circaetus 77 Gallinula chloropus 47, 127 — haematopus 126 — tenebrosa 125-127 garrulus, Lorius 121 Gavia immer 84, 87 — stellata 65 Geronticus calvus 85 Gervaisia croiseti 87 gigas, Hydrochous 26 glacialis, Fulmarus 84 glacialoides, Fulmarus 77 Glareola maldivarum 57 — pratincola 57 Glaucidium perlatum 50 glaucurus, Eurystomus 78 goodfellowi, Eos 120-121 grallaria, Fregetta 76-77 griseogularis, Myioparus 95 griseus, Passer 95 grylle, Cepphus 85 guildingii, Amazona 72 guinea, Columba 62 gularis, Egretta 78 gunningi, Sheppardia 95 Gygis alba 79 haematina, Spermophaga 96 Haematopus ostralegus 85 haematopus, Gallinula 126 Halcyon malimbica 94 Halcyon mangaia, “om. nov. 40 Halcyon ruficollaris 40 — sancta 40 Harpactes duvaucellii 26 — erythrocephalus 26 — orrhophaeus 26 Harpochris 143 hartlaubi, Pteronetta 50 —, Tauraco 135 Hemispingus rufosupertciliaris 136 hemprichii, Tockus 81-82 hiaticula, Charadrius 129 Himantopus himantopus 85, 87 himantopus, Himantopus 85, 87 Hirundo concolor 28 — rustica 76, 129 holosericea, Drepanoptila 3-4 hunteri, Cisticola 115, 119 Hydrochous 25 — gigas 26 Hylia prasina 95 hyperythra, Ficedula 31 hyperythrus, Dendrobiastes 31 hypoleuca, Ficedula 129 hypoxantha, Neodrepanis 144 ibis, Bubulcus 79 icterinus, Phyllastrephus 94 idae, Ardeola 77, 96-97 ignipectus, Dicaeum 32 immer, Gavia 84, 87 incerta, Pterodroma 77 Indicator indicator 110 — maculatus 94 — minor 109-110 — variegatus I10 indicator, Indicator 110 Iridosornis jelskii 136 jambu, Ptilinopus 25 javanica, Mirafra 92 javensis, Batrachostomus 25 jelskii, Iridosornis 136 jugularis, Eulampis 7 juncidis, Cisticola 38, 91 Jynx torquilla 129 kempi, Macrosphenus 95 keysseri, Casuarius 67 lacteus, Bubo 50 Lagonosticta rufopicta 96 — senegala 96 Laniarius aethiopicus 94 — atrococcineus 119 — atroflavus 113-114, 119 — barbarus 114, 119 — erythrogaster 114, 119 — luhderi 119 — mufumbiti 119 — tuficeps 119 Lanius collurio 77 Larus argentatus 85 — cirrocephalus 78-79 — marinus 85 — novaehollandiae 78-79 latirostris, Andropadus 94 layardi, Ptilinopus 3-4 lecontei, Ceyx 94 Leptoptilos crumeniferus 77-78 lepturus, Phaethon 78 lessonii, Pterodroma 77 leucogaster, Alcedo 94 leucolopha, Tigriornis 50 leucophrys, Brachypteryx 29-30 leucopogon, Prinia 95 leucoptera, Ardea 77-78 leucostictus, Cercotrichas 94 leuphotes, Aviceda 90 Limonites minutella 90 livia, Columba 131 livingstonti, Tauraco 135 lobata, Biziura 85 Lonchura punctulata 92 Loriana 143 Lorius 143 xii Lorius garrulus 121 Loxia curvirostra 15-19 — pytyopsittacus 15-19 ludwigii, Dicrurus 96 lugubris, Surniculus 25 luhderi, Laniarius 119 luteovirens, Ptilinopus 3-4 Lybius chaplini 109-110 — melanocephalus 107-108 — torquatus 111 macrorhynchos, Corvus 28 macroptera, Pterodroma 77 macrosceles, Circus 78 Macrosphenus concolor 95 — kempi 95 maculatus, Indicator 94 maillardii, Circus 78 Maina tristoides 9 major, Parus 129 Malaconotus sulphureopectus 94 maldivarum, Glareola 57 malimbica, Halcyon 94 mangaia, Halcyon 4o Manura superba 86 marinus, Larus 85 mariquensis, Bradornis 56 —, Melaenornis 53-55 masukuensis, Andropadus 94 maximus, Aerodtamus 26 Melaenornis edolioides 95 — mariquensis 53-55 melanocephala, Pionites 69 melanocephalus, Lybius 107-108 melanophrys, Diomedea 84 melanospila, Ptilinopus 4 mertula, Turdus 129 Micropternus brachyurus 27 migrans, Milvus 77-78 Milvus migrans 77-78 minor, Fregata 79 —, Indicator 109-110 minulla, Nectarinia 59 minuta, Calidris 77 minutella, Limonites go minutus, Colymboides 65, 84, 87 Mirafra javanica 92 — poecilosterna 111 modularis, Prunella 83, 86, 129 mollis, Pterodroma 77 montanus, Parus 129 monteiri, Tockus 82 morio, Onychognathus 60-64 Motacilla alba 129 — cinerea 129 mufumbiri, Laniarius 119 Muscicapa 31 — olivascens 95 — _ sethsmithi 95 Musophaga rossae 135 Mycteria americana 85 Myioparus griseogularis 95 Myrmecocichla nigra 48 mystacalis, Aethopyga 31 nabouroup, Onychognathus 60 nana, Aratinga 15 natalensis, Cossypha 95 nebularia, Tringa 77 Nectarinia amethystina 59 — batesi 59 — bifasciata 59 — chalybea 59 — chloropygia 95 — cuprea 59, 95 — famosa 5 — minulla 59 — olivacea 95 — pulchella 7 — senegalensis 59, 78 — sovimanga 59 — talatala 59 — venusta 5-7, 59 — vetticalis 95 — violacea 6, 78 Neocossyphus fraseri 95 — poensis 95 Neodrepanis hypoxantha 144 Neophron percnopterus 76 Nephelornis oneilli 136 Nicator chloris 94 nigra, Coracopsis 78 —, Myrmecocichla 48 nigricollis, Ploceus 95 —, Sturnus 31 nigriloris, Cisticola 115, 119 Nigrita bicolor 96 — canicapilla 95 nigromitratus, Trochocercus 95 nilotica, Sterna 134 Niltava sumatrana 31 nisoria, Sylvia 129 nitens, Psalidoprocne 94 nivosa, Campethera 94 Notiochelidon flavipes 136 novaehollandiae, Coracina 28 —, Larus 78-79 Numenius arquata 77-78, 85 Nycticorax nycticorax 85 nycticorax, Nycticorax 85 obscura, Psalidoprocne 94 occidentalis, Pelecanus 84 Oceanicus, Oceanites 78 Oceanites oceanicus 78 Oceanodroma castro 84 ochropus, Tringa 57 olivacea, Nectarinia 95 olivascens, Muscicapa 95 oneilli, Nephelornis 136 xiii onocrotalus, Pelecanus 84, 87 Onychognathus albirostris 60-61 — blythii 60 — frater 6o — morio 60-64 — nabouroup 60 — salvadorii 60, 64 — tenuirostris 60-64 — tristrami 60 — walleri 60 Oriolus brachyrhynchus 96 otrhophaeus, Harpactes 26 ostralegus, Haematopus 85 Pachyptila desolata 77 — vittata 77 pacificus, Puffinus 78-79 Palaeolodus 87 — ambiguus 85 palumbus, Columba 3, 131 Parmoptila woodhousei 95 Parus ater 129 — caeruleus 129 — major 129 — montanus 129 Passer domesticus 8 — griseus 95 Pastor peguanus 9 pavonina, Balearica 89 peguanus, Pastor 9 Pelecanoides 86 — urinatrix 84 Pelecanus crispus 84 — occidentalis 84 — onocrotalus 84, 87 peli, Scotopelia 49 percnopterus, Neophron 76 perergrinus, Falco 3 perlatum, Glaucidium 50 Pernis apivorus 57 — ptylorhyncus 22-23 persa, Tauraco 135-136 Petrochelidon pyrrhonota 131 Phaethon aethereus 21, 84 — lepturus 78 — trubricauda 79 Phalacrocorax carbo 84 Phedina borbonica 131 philomelos, Turdus 129 Phoenicopterus chilensis 85 Phoenicurus phoenicurus 129 phoenicurus, Amaurornis 48 —, Phoenicurus 129 Phyllastrephus baumanni 94 — debilis 94 — fischeri 94 — icterinus 94 Phylloscopus borealis 30 — trochilus 129 pintadeanus, Francolinus 79 xiv Pionites 72 Pyrrhula pyrrhula 129 — melanocephala 69 pytrhula, Pyrrhula 129 platura, Anthreptes 7 Pyrrhura conures 72 Platysteira blissetti 95 pytyopsittacus, Loxia 15-19 — castanea 95 — concreta 95 quadrivirgata, Cercotrichas 94 — cyanea 95 Plegadis falcinellus 85 Rallina eurizonoides 23-24 plengei, Schizoeaca 137-139 ralloides, Ardeola 77, 96-97 Ploceus 78 Regulus regulus 129 — cucullatus 95 regulus, Regulus 129 — nigricollis 95 Reinwardtipicus 27 Pluvialis apricaria 77 rex, Balaeniceps 84, 87 — dominica 77 Ripatia riparia 131 — squatarola 77-78 riparia, Riparia 131 Podiceps cristatus 84 roseus, Carpodacus 44-46 — ruficollis 20-21 rossae, Musophaga 135 podiceps, Podilymbus 84 tubecula, Erithacus 129 Podilymbus podiceps 84 rubeculoides, Cyornis 31 poecilosterna, Mirafra 111 rubra, Eos 120 poensis, Neocossyphus 95 rubricauda, Phaethon 79 Poeoptera 61 rufescens, Trichastoma 95 Pogoniulus bilineatus 94 ruficapilla, Spermophaga 96 — subsulphureus 94 ruficauda, Cichladusa 48 poliocephala, Alethe 94 ruficeps, Laniarius 119 poliocephalus, Cuculus 25 ruficollaris, Alcyone 40 prasina, Hylia 95 —, Halcyon 4o pratensis, Anthus 129 ruficollis, Calidris 90 pratincola, Glareola 57 —, Podiceps 20-21 Prinia 1o1 rufigastra, Cyornis 31 — bairdi 95 rufipennis, Trichastoma 95 — flaviventris 91 rufitorques, Accipiter 3 — leucopogon 95 rufiventer, Terpsiphone 95 Prionochilus thoracicus 91 rufocinerea, Terpsiphone 95 Procellaria aequinoctialis 77-78 rufopicta, Lagonosticta 96 Prunella modularis 83, 86, 129 rufosuperciliaris, Hemispingus 136 Psalidoprocne nitens 94 rustica, Hirundo 76, 129 — obscura 94 rusticolus, Scolopax 85, 87 Pterodroma incerta 77 — lessonii 77 salvadorii, Onychognathus 60, 64 — macropteta 77 sancta, Halcyon 40 — mollis 77 saturata, Aethopyga 31 Pteronetta hartlaubi 50 saturatus, Cuculus 25 Pteruthius flaviscapis 28-29 Saxicola torquata 90 Ptilinopus jambu 25 Schizoeaca fuliginosa 136-139 — layardi 3-4 Schizoeaca fuliginosa plengei, subsp. — luteovirens 3-4 nov. 137-139 — melanospila 4 schoeniclus, Emberiza 129 — tannensis 4 - schoenobaenus, Acrocephalus 129 — victor 2, 4 schutti, Tauraco 135 ptylorhyncus, Pernis 22-23 scitpaceus, Acrocephalus 129 Puffinus assimilis 76 sclateri, Ampelion 136 — pacificus 78-79 Scolopax rusticolus 85, 87 pulchella, Nectarinia 7 Scopus umbretta 84, 86 punctatus, Chaetodon 142 Scotopelia peli 49 punctulata, Lonchura 92 scutulata, Cairina 88-89 Pycnonotus barbatus 94 Seicercus castaniceps 25, 30 pygargus, Circus 78 Selasphorus calliope 7 Pygostelis antarctica 85 semipalmata, Anseranas 85 pyrrhonota, Petrochelidon 131 semitorquata, Streptopelia 34-37 senegala, Lagonosticta 96 senegalensis, Nectarinia 59, 78 sericocaudatus, Caprimulgus 80 sethsmithi, Muscicapa 95 shelleyi, Turtur 37 Sheppardia aequatorialis 95 — gunningi 95 sibiricus, Uragus 46 simplex, Chlorocichla 94 siparaja, Aethopyga 31 solitaris, Ficedula 31 sovimanga, Nectarinia 59 Spermophaga haematina 96 — tuficapilla 96 spilonotus, Circus 78 spilorrhoa, Ducula 97-98 Spreo albicapillus 58 squamata, Eos 121 squamigera, Uromyias 140 squatarola, Pluvialis 77—78 stellaris, Botaurus 84 stellata, Gavia 65 Sterna bergii 132-134 — bernsteini 24 — caspia 79, 134 — fuscata 79 — nilotica 134 — sumatrana 79 — zimmermanni 24 Stiphrornis erythrothorax 95 stolidus, Anous 79 Streptopelia chinensis 8 — semitorquata 34-37 striatus, Butorides 77-78 —, Colius 94 Struthio camelus 123 Sturnus nigricollis 31 — vulgaris 129 subminuta, Calidris 90 subsulphureus, Pogoniulus 94 Sula dactylatra 21, 79, 84 — sula 79 sula, Sula 79 sulphureopectus, Malaconotus 94 sumatrana, Niltava 31 —, Sterna 79 superba, Manura 86 superciliaris, Abroscopus 30 Surniculus lugubris 25 swinderniana, Agapornis 106 Sylvia althaea 142 — atrticapilla 129 — borin 129 — communis 129 — curruca 129 _— Misoria 129 Sylvietta virens 95 syndactyla, Bleda 94 tachiro, Accipiter 94 Tadorna tadorna 89 tadorna, Tadorna 89 talatala, Nectarinia 59 tannensis, Ptilinopus 4 Tauraco corythaix 135 — fischeri 134-136 — hartlaubi 135 — livingstonii 135 —- persa 135-136 — schutti 135 tenebrosa, Gallinula 125-127 tenuirostris, Anous 79 —, Onychognathus 60-64 Terathopius ecaudatus 77-78 Terpsiphone bourbonnensis 79 — tufiventer 95 — rufocinerea 95 textrix, Cisticola 38-39 thoracicus, Prionochilus 91 tickelliae, Cyornis 31 Tigriornis leucolopha 50 Tockus alboterminatus 77 — hemprichii 81-82 — monteiri 82 torda, Alca 85 torquata, Saxicola 90 torquatus, Celeus 40 —, Lybius 111 torquilla, Jynx 129 toulou, Centropus 25, 72-75 Trichastoma albipectus 95 — cleaveri 95 — fulvescens 95 — tufescens 95 — rufipennis 95 trigonostigma, Dicaeum 32 Tringa erythropus 77 — nebularia 77 — ochropus 57 tristis, Acridotheres 8-13 tristoides, Maina 9 tristrami, Onychognathus 60 trochilus, Phylloscopus 129 Trochocercus cyanomelas 95 — nigromitratus 95 Troglodytes troglodytes 129 troglodytes, Estrilda 96 —, Troglodytes 129 Turdus philomelos 129 — metula 129 Turtur brehmeri 94 — erythrophrys 37 — shelleyi 37 typica, Coracina 79 umbretta, Scopus 84, 86 unappendiculatus, Casuatrius 66-67 Uragus sibiricus 46 utbica, Delichon 28, 129 utinatrix, Pelecanoides 84 Urolais epichlora 99-101 Uromyias agilis 141 — agtaphia 136, 140-141 Uromyias agraphia squamigera, subsp. nov. 140 validus, Chrysocolaptes 27 Vanellus cinereus 80 — vanellus 80 vanellus, Vanellus 80 vatiegatus, Indicator 110 venusta, Nectarinia 5-7, 59 verticalis, Nectarinia 95 victor, Ptilinopus 2, 4 viduata, Dendrocygna 78, 85, 87 violacea, Nectarinia 6, 78 virens, Andropadus 94 —, Sylvietta 95 viridis, Calyptomena 27-28 vittata, Pachyptila 77 vulgaris, Sturnus 129 vulturinum, Acryllium 77 walleri, Onychognathus 60 whitei, Cyornis 31 woodhousei, Parmoptila 95 zimmermanni, Sterna 24 Corrigenda p. 76, line 47: ‘“chrysostoma’, not ‘chrysostomus’ p. 78, line 26: ‘striatus’, not ‘triatus’ p. 79, line 1: ‘francicus’, not ‘francicaus’ . 84, line 2 (caption): ‘Diomedea’, not ‘Diomedia’ p. 4, p A . 84, line 6 (caption): ‘aethereus’, not ‘aethureus’ Pp. 4, p : p. 85, line 2 (caption): ‘Dissoura’, not ‘Dissouria’ p. 94, line 25: ‘Psalidoprocne’, not ‘Psalidoprogne’ p. 94, lines 29, 31, 33, 35: “Andropadus’, not ‘Andropadis’ p. 94, line 35: ‘masukuensis’, not "mazukuensis’ p. 94, line 40: ‘calurus’, not ’caluras* p. 94, line 46: ‘fischeri’, not ‘fisheri’ p. 94, line 55: ‘Malaconotus’, not ‘Malconotus’ p. 95, line 4: “cyanocampter’, not ‘cyanocompter’ p. 95, line 7: ‘aequatorialis’, not ‘aequitorialis’ p. 95, line 36: ‘edolioides’, not “edoloides’ p. 95, line 55: ‘olivacea’, not “olivacia’ p. 115, line 10: ‘nigriloris’, not ‘nigricolis’ p. 118, line 1: ‘discolor’, not “discolour’ p. 119, line 9: ‘nigriloris’, not “nigricolis’ p. 119, line 29: ‘wufumbiri’, not ‘mufumberi’ p. 129, line 39: ‘Carduelis’, not “Cardeulis’ p. 134, line 37: ‘fischeri’, not ’fischceri’ The Caxton & Holmesdale Press, Sevenoaks Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club Edited by Dr. J. F. MONK Volume 96 No. 1 March 1976 The Annual Genetal Meeting of the lab will ‘e held in the Senior Gitte Room, South Side, Imperial College, Seals s Gardens, London S.W.7 at 5.45 p.m. on Tuesday 4 May 1976. Se AGENDA x 1. Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting. Repott of the Committee and Accounts for 1975. The Bulletin. . Election of Officers :— (a) The Committee proposes that Mr. M. St. J. Sugg, m.a., be re-elected Honorary Treasuret. (b) The Committee proposes that Mr. R. E. F. Peal be re-elected Honorary Secretary. (c) The Committee proposes Dr. G. Beven, M.D., to serve on the Committee vice Mr. J. H. R. Boswall, who retires by rotation. 5. Any other business of which notice shall have been given in accordance with Rule (7). qs suv Nv By Order of the Committee, RONALD E. F. PEAL, Honorary Secretary. Forthcoming Meetings: (oe) Tuesday, 4 May 1976 at 6.15 p.m. for 6.45 p.m. dinner (seven hundredth meeting of the Club). In the Senior Common Room, South Side, Imperial College, South Kensington (entrance Prince’s Gardens, S.W.7, off Exhibition Road and N. of Victoria and Albert Museum); a short symposium on African birds, speakers Mrs. B. P. Hall, Sir Hugh Elliott, Bt., o.8.E., and Mr. C. W. Benson, 0.3.x. Cheques for the cost of dinner (£2-95 a head) must be sent to the Hon. Secretary before the meeting. Please note this meeting starts earlier than usual. i ‘a Tuesday, 20 July, 1976 at 6.30 p.m. for 7 p.m. at the Goat Tavern, 3 Stafford Street, London W.1. Mr. Robert Gillmor will speak on Bird Illustration. Tuesday, 21 September, 1976. Speaker to be arranged. Tuesday, 16 November, 1976. Dr. H. N. Southern will speak on the Tawny Owl. Committee: J. H. Elgood (Chairman) P. Hogg (Vice-Chairman) R. E. F. Peal (Hon. Secretary) M. St. J. Sugg (Hon. Treasurer) Dr. J. F. Monk (Editor) J. H. R. Boswall Mrs, J. D. Bradley : Dr. C. J. O. Harrison C. E. Wheeler [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] Bulletin of the BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB Vol. 96 No. 1 Published: 20 March, 1976 REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE FOR 1975 The past year has been marked by escalating costs due to raging inflation. Postage rates for the Bulletin rose 83% and there was a very heavy increase in the price of dinners, whilst the charge for printing the Bu//etin rose by 124% at the beginning of 1975. There were 20 new members in the year but there were eight resignations and nine members were struck off under Rule (4). The Committee much regrets to report the deaths of three members: F. A. Bak, Lord Hurcomb, G.C.B., K.B.E., and Captain C. R. S. Pitman, c.B.E., D.s.0., M.c. (Vice-Chairman 1956-59, Chairman 1959-62). There were eight new non-member subscribers to the Bulletin. At the end of the year there were 252 members and 126 non- member subscribers who were up to date with their subscriptions; these together show a slight increase on the corresponding figures at the beginning of the year and are highly satisfactory bearing in mind the increase in sub- scription rates, which came into force for 1975. The attendances at meetings totalled 168, a reduction on the three previous years, almost certainly attributable to rising prices. Meetings were held at the Café Royal in January, March and May, but in the middle of the year we were informed of an increase approaching 50% in the cost of dinners. We were fortunate in being able to hold our July, September and November meetings in the Senior Common Room at Imperial College, South Kensington, where the catering and facilities proved excellent; in July there was a buffet supper and at the other meetings dinner of equally good character. The first two meetings in 1976 have been arranged to take place at the Goat Tavern in Stafford Street, Mayfair, where less expensive fare is available, but where numbers are limited to 40 by space. We would welcome, at the Annual General Meeting, or by letter, the comment of members upon venues for meetings, bearing prices of meals and private rooms in mind, The size of the Bulletin was maintained under the eminent editorship of Sir Hugh Elliott, whose term of office concluded at the end of the year. News was teceived of an increase of about 50% in charges for printing the Bulletin and 7°% in postage rates from January 1976. In view of this it was decided slightly to reduce the size of the Bulletin in 1976; however smaller type will be used if the supply of papers justifies publication of a greater amount of material than could otherwise be included. The audited accounts for 1975, which are not yet available, will be tabled at the Annual General Meeting and published in a later number of the Bulletin. * * * The six hundred and ninety-eighth meeting of the Club was held at the Goat Tavern, 3 Stafford Street, London, W.1, at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, 20 January, 1976. Chairman: Mr. P. Hogg: present 17 members and 13 guests. Dr. Kear has kindly sent the following précis of her talk. [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] Re Zoos ate here to stay—their popularity can be gauged from the fact that 150 million people visit annually the 500 zoos and aquaria listed in the Inter- national Zoo Yearbook. They provide mainly leisure and education, but zoos ought also to have important roles in biological research and in con- servation. It is fashionable to say, of zoos’ conservation role, that they can act as reservoirs of species threatened with extinction in the wild. In the event of extinction, the suggestion goes, captive-bred animals can be reintroduced into the natural habitat. Examples where reintroductions have been success- ful (defined as third generation individuals being produced and the “‘new”’ population being self-sustaining in the wild) are, of course, extremely few— it’s a novel concept, and there hasn’t been much time. Zoos ate only just beginning to realise and combat the problems of breed- ing, for generation after generation, a species of which only a few captive individuals remain. Problems include the adaptation to abnormal diets and breeding seasons, loss of fear of predators including man, a lowering of natural levels ofaggression, the bringing together of many deleterious recessive genes, and the lack of immunity to a variety of diseases. Perhaps a surer conservation role for zoos involves their undoubted research and education facilities. They can often obtain, with ease, facts that are indispensible to the field worker; for example, gestation or incubation periods, oestrus cycles, indicators of maturity, and bones of known age. They can also interpret the field workers’ findings to the public, who will then be able to see, and appreciate, the animals whose conservation they increasingly are asked to support. Thus zoos may, by acting as “honey pots” and drawing large numbers of humans away from the fragile wilderness, help to preserve the security of the habitats on which every species ultimately depends. Good zoos whose ultimate goal is to exhibit, in natural surroundings, individuals that are, almost without exception, captive-bred, and exploit animals only to the extent that they can provide pleasurable interest, edu- cation and scientifically useful knowledge, need support. The large scale capture of wild creatures for exhibition at a profit, is an activity that many will regard with distaste. Comments on the nesting and plumage of the Orange Dove Ptélinopus victor by Ronald I. Orenstein and Murray D. Bruce Received 10 November 1975 On 17 June 1974, the authors discovered a nest of the Orange Dove Piéilin- opus victor at approximately 490 m elevation in forest on the Waitavala estate neat Waiyevo, Taveuni, Fiji. The nest was 2-5 m up in a small (subcanopy). tree, about 1:5 m from the trunk on a horizontal branch. Its structure was extremely flimsy: a platform of twigs approximately 10 cm across and 1-5 cm thick, with some sticks protruding several centimetres further out. The network was so loose that a finger could have been inserted through the bottom of the nest in several places. When discovered, the female bird was sitting; indeed, her departure drew our attention to the nest. There was a single rather large nestling, showing only the beginnings of fledging—the ne 3 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] wing quills just starting, the dorsal feather tracts outlined with sheathed feathers on the back and to a lesser degree on the head. In the only previously published account of nesting in this species, Layard (1876) reported breeding from November to December, and described the clutch size as two. However, it is not clear from his account whether or not Layard himself ever actually found a nest. Goodwin (1970: 377) pointed out that this clutch size of two reported by Layard differs from the single-egg clutch of other Pt/inopus species for which information is available, but agrees with that of the Cloven-feathered Dove Drepanoptila holosericea of New Caledonia. Our finding of a single nestling, however, suggests that the Orange Dove may have the typical clutch size of the genus. It seems unlikely that any nest predator would have removed one chick and left the other, although Goodwin (i# /itt.) points out that he has on rare occasions found nests of the Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus with but a single chick though the clutch size of this species is almost invariably two. There is no nesting information for the Golden Dove P. /uteovirens and the Velvet Dove P. /ayardi (Goodwin 1970: 378-9), the other two members of the superspecies P. /uteovirens (once considered to constitute the genus Chrysoenas Hartlaub(185 4) (not Chrysoena)?). Confirmation of our recorded single-egg clutch is desirable. The male Orange Dove is the most vividly coloured of its family, its brilliance being matched by few other birds. Further, its pattern is most unusual for the genus P/i/inopus. Nearly all fruit doves are brightly coloured but most of them are largely green, other colours being confined to the head or underparts or both. This pattern allows the birds to be most inconspicuous, particularly to an overhead avian predator (Orenstein 1973). The absence of such a pattern in the Orange Dove would not be so puzzling if hawks were absent on Fiji. However, the Fiji Goshawk Aceipiter rufitorques, Swamp Harrier Circus approximans and Peregrine Falco peregrinus occur on Taveuni. The Goshawk was particularly common in the Waiyevo area (Orenstein & Bruce, MS). It would thus seem that the brilliant orange body of the male dove would render it an obvious target for these predators, especially since it is largely a bird of the canopy. However, we noted that in the field the dull green head blends into the foliage, while the rounded orange object re- remaining (the body) resembled one of the large dead leaves scattered through the forest canopy. When viewed from below at least, it was easy to pass the dove by as just such a leaf, a fact also noted by Layard. Whether this would be.the case from above, where the leaves are viewed by reflected rather than transmitted light and may not appear as orange, is difficult to say. However, our observation does suggest that a pattern such as that of the Orange Dove may not be incompatible with a need for camouflage, though the striking sexual dimorphism of this species, with the female plumage replacing the orange with green—unusual in the genus P//inopus—suggests that the orange of the male may still render it more liable to predation than would a less striking body colour. It would be valuable to learn the details of the court- ship and mating system in this species. | 1 The use of the name Chrysoena Bonaparte (1854: 871, 879), not “Chrysaena’’ Bonaparte (1855: 28—not 1857, cf. Zimmer 1926: 69), follows Peters (1938). However, Bonaparte’s name of 1854 (6 November) is predated by Chrysoenas Hartlaub (1854: 166; “‘before August”’, cf. Mathews 1927: 42). Both names originated from Bonaparte’s usage, and he intended Chrysoena to replace Chrysoenas (ased by him in correspondence, although Hartlaub’s adoption of this name precedes the formal proposal of C’hrysoena by Bonaparte). Mathews chose to use Chrysoenas, and if the Fijian doves are recognised as a distinct subgenus, this name should be adopted. [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] 4 The explanation proposed above may also apply to patterns in other Pitilinopus species, such as the Golden Dove of Viti Levu which also has the body colour brighter than that of the head. The Velvet Dove of Kadavu has a yellow head contrasting with a green body, while several other species (e.g. the Black-naped Fruit Dove P. melanospila) also have a colourful head con- trasting with a largely green body. In all these birds the total effect may well be disruptive, with either the body or the head resembling a leaf, flower or fruit separate from the rest of the bird, which is coloured to blend into the background. Whether the body or the head appears more conspicuous seems unimportant from a taxonomic point of view; both variations occur within the “Chrysoenas” group. A further conclusion from this discussion is that the presumably adaptive nature of these patterns renders them highly likely to have evolved more than once, and hence of little use in determining relationships. Thus, Mayr (1940) apparently considered the Silver-shouldered Fruit Dove P. tannensis of the New Hebrides to be the nearest relative of “CArysoenas’’, presumably because of its resemblance in plumage pattern to P. /ayardi. Observations by the junior author on the New Hebrides and New Caledonia, however, indicate that P. ¢annensis resembles P. /uteovirens and P. victor, the two species of this group which we have observed, less than does the quite differently patterned Cloven-feathered Dove Drepanoptila holosericea (Bruce, MS). The “‘crest”’ of the latter species resembles closely the high, domed foreheads of the Fijian birds. The chunky, rounded body shape of these birds is quite different from the more slender appearance of P. sannensis. The Fijian doves, indeed, may be quite close to Drepanoptila (whether or not they have a similar clutch size), and, with it, may represent relict survivors of an early wave of colonisation by Ptz/inopus stock into the Pacific area (cf. Amadon 1943). We are grateful to Max Ohlsson of Burns Philp (Fiji) Pty. Ltd. for his kindness and assistance in providing accommodation on the Waitavala estates. Derek Goodwin of the British Museum (Natural History) kindly commented on our nesting information. Dr. Robert W. Storer of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, criticised the manuscript. References: Amadon, D. 1943. Birds collected during the Whitney South Sea Expedition, 52. Notes on some non-passerine genera, 3. Amer. Mus. Novit. 1237: 1-22. Hose C. L. 1854. Coup d’oeil sur ’ordre des Pigeons. Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci., Paris 39: 869-880. — 1855. Conspectus Generum Avium 2: 1-232. Lugduni Batavorum: E. J. Brill. Bruce, M. D. MS. Bird notes from New Caledonia and New Hebrides. Goodwin, D. 1970. Pigeons and Doves of the World. 2nd ed. London: Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist.). Hartlaub, G. 1854. Zur Ornithologie Oceanien’s. Journ. f. Orn. 2: 160-171. Layard, E. L. 1876. Notes on some little-known birds of the new colony of the Fiji Tania. Ibis (3) 6: 137-152. Mathews, G. M. 1927. Systema Avium Australasianarum, Patt 1: 1-426. London: BOU. Mayr, E. 1940. The origin and the history of the bird fauna of Polynesia. Proc. 6th Pac. Sci. Congr. (1939) 4: 197-216. Orenstein, R. I. 1973. Colourful plumage in tropical birds. Avicult. Mag. 79: 119-122. Orenstein, R. I. & Bruce, M. D. MS. Notes on the birds of Taveuni, Fiji Islands. Peters, J. L. 1938. Generic limits of some fruit pigeons. Proc. 8th Int. Ornith. Congr. (1934): 371-391. Zimmer, J. T. 1926. Catalogue of the Edward E. Ayer Ornithological Library. Part 1. Field Mus. Nat. Hist. , Zool, Ser. 16: x + 364 pp. 5 [Bull, B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] Notes on a nesting female Variable Sunbird Nectarinia venusta by R. A. Cheke Received 29 November 1975 As examples of ecological equivalence, sunbirds (Nectariniidae) are often compared with hummingbirds (Trochilidae). In both groups the amount of time spent foraging for food varies between 10% and 35 % of daylight, al- though small changes in the volume of nectar available per flower can produce major changes in birds’ partitioning of time (Wolf et a/. 1975). Compared with hummingbirds under equivalent conditions, sunbirds have greater energy requirements but lower foraging costs, partly due to the hovering habit of hummingbirds in front of their food plants, in contrast to sunbirds which, with some exceptions (Williams 1951, Coe 1961, Broekhuysen 1963, Cheke 19714), perch while feeding. The similarity in time budgets of the two groups appears to be the result of a balance between these two factors. The com- plexity of sunbird energetics has been emphasised by the observation that one of two male Malachite Sunbirds Nectarinia famosa studied by Wolf (1975) regularly took in less energy, in terms of the calorific value of the nectar it consumed, than it expended. This result implies that supplementary energy provided by the bird’s invertebrate diet or possible savings of energy by regulated nocturnal hypothermia, which occurs in Malachite Sunbirds at high altitudes (Cheke 1971b), are of considerable importance. Since there are few accounts of the activities of nesting sunbirds the following data obtained in July 1974 on the behaviour of a female Variable Sunbird NV. venuséa, nesting at sea-level in an equitable environment, may be of interest for comparative purposes in nectarivorous species. The data may be somewhat atypical owing to the protected nature of the nest-site, which was studied during a brief, but crucial, part of the nesting cycle, inside a bungalow at sea level at Tiwi beach, 20 km S.W. of Mombasa, Kenya. The house had been empty for some weeks permitting the bird, which entered through gaps between the corrugated iron roof and the top of a wall, to construct its nest undisturbed. The nest incorporated some string hanging from a thick wire, intended for holding up mosquito nets, which was suspended from a roof beam. The main body of the nest was 17-5 cm from top to base, with pieces of grass and leaves straggling 17 cm below it. Its base was 183 cm from the floor and its top was 45 cm below the beam. The oval entrance hole to the nest chamber was 4 cm in height, 2-7 cm wide and its base was 3:8 cm above the base of the nest. The rear of the chamber itself was 4-7 cm inside the nest, which was 6-5 cm wide at its broadest. This type of nest structure, pear-shaped and typical of sunbirds, clearly provides more protection for the young than the open nests characteristic of humming- birds. The entrance hole faced into the room, away from the window which was covered with a wire grill of 5 cm square mesh. When this window was open the bird returned to the nest through it, pausing on the wire mesh on its way, but it always departed in the opposite direction via one of its exit holes underneath the roof. The nest was first seen on arrival at the house on the evening of 24 July 1974, after dusk. The sitting bird was disturbed as little as possible and, despite occasional electric lighting and human occupation of the room, she [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] 6 remained in the nest until the next morning when it was found that she was incubating two eggs. These measured approximately 1-6 x 1-0 cm and were heavily mottled with dark brown ona paler brown background, the mottling being most dense at the wider ends of the eggs. When returning to incubate after a foraging session, the bird hovered briefly in front of the nest, perching on it below the entrance hole before entering and turning around to settle on the eggs. Two eggs remained throughout 25 and 26 July but at 10.05 hrs. on 27 July the bird was moving excitedly within the nest before flying away and returning five minutes later. During this interval the nest was examined revealing that one egg had hatched. At 10.10 hrs. when the bird returned she perched as usual below the entrance hole but instead of then entering the nest at once she remained probing into the hole with her bill for 2 minutes 25 seconds. This behaviour was noted twice more, when only one young had hatched, for periods of I minute 35 seconds and for 2 minutes 4o seconds. Later that morning some high-pitched squeaking, presumably from the chick, was heard and the adult stood up inside the nest and, probing beneath her, also piped but at a higher frequency. The second egg had still failed to hatch by 18.05 hrs. on 27 July. When at 07.25 hrs. on the following day the adult returned to the nest, she paused briefly at the entrance hole before entering, making piping noises (described in notes as “‘tseep, did-dee-did, oh, oh”’). After entering and turn- ing around she then uttered, with her head protruding from the entrance hole, a sub-song described as “‘did, dee, did, da, deee, dee, dee didyou”’. This was followed by chirps, interspersed with high-pitched piping from the young which continued for 25 minutes. After this active and noisy brooding session the adult departed at 08.00 hrs. and the nest was then found to contain two young. Later that day the adult attended to the young continuously from outside the nest for 3 minutes 10 seconds, the longest such session recorded. At 09.30 hrs. egg shells were found beneath the nest. After a hypothermic night, and at high altitudes, hummingbirds have been recorded to leave their nests as much as 20 minutes before sunrise on clear days (Calder & Booser 1973) and Broekhuysen (1963) records that the Orange-breasted Sunbird Nectarinia violacea departs from its nest from 6 to 32 minutes before sunrise. Although dawn was at 06.00 hrs., the Variable Sunbird did not leave the nest before 06.55, 06.45 and 06.43 hrs. on 26, 27 and 29 July respectively. Similarly, with dusk at 19.00 hrs., the bird remained in the nest after 17.50, 18.21 and 18.35 hrs. on 25, 27 and 28 July. The times for sessions of incubation or brooding and for absences from the nest by the female NV. venusta ate given in Table 1. Table 2 contains details of five continuous observation periods, of brooding sessions, only two of which were of any length. TABLE I Incubation and brooding sessions and intervals of absence from the nest of a female Variable Sunbird Nectarinia venusta according to nest contents. Incubation or — Intervals of absence Nest contents brooding sessions from the nest (minutes) (minutes) Mean Range Mean Range Two eggs ao 5-70 29°5 10-50 One egg and one chick 11°78 5-35 8°5 4-16 Two chicks t2"7 I-39 9°9 3-17 7 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] TABLE 2 Brooding sessions of female Variable Sunbird Nectarinia venusta during periods of con- tinuous observation with known nest contents. Nest Date Observation No. of Brooding Mean % time Time contents time brooding sessions brooding brooding brooding sessions per hour time per per hour Session (mins.) (mins.) One egg and 27 July 1000— 8 2°4 18-5 74 44°4 one chick 1320 Two chicks 28 July oc800— 9 2°6 I2‘I 53 32°0 1125 Two chicks 28 July 1505— 2 3°4 12°5 71 43°1 1540 Two chicks 28 July 1715— 2 1°5 26-0 65 39°1 1835 Two chicks 29 July 0643— 3 3°4 5°6 31 19°5 0748 The Variable Sunbird, like the Orange-breasted Sunbird (Broekhuysen 1963), in general tends to be absent for longer periods and to remain on the nest for longer sessions than hummingbirds (Orr 1939, Calder 1971, Wolf & Wolf 1971, Snow 1974, Smith et a/. 1974). Since female Variable Sunbirds weigh 5-3 + 0-3 g (Fry 1970) and the conditions for breeding were good, this is not surprising in comparison with hummingbirds such as Anna’s Hummingbird Calypte anna (body-weight 3-4—5-8 g) and the Calliope Hummingbird Se/asphorus calliope (body-weight 2:6 — 3:4 g) studied at high altitudes (see Calder 1971, Smith e¢ a/. 1974); but it is also true of the larger Purple-throated Carib Hummingbird Exlampis jugularis (body-weight 7°9 + 0-4 g—Hainsworth & Wolf 1970) studied by Wolf & Wolf (1971). No male Variable Sunbird was seen either near the nest or with the female. However, little significance can be attached to this since there is often a time- lag between the hatching of the young and any male partner, if present, ‘learning of this fact. Skinner (1969) records that both sexes of the Pygmy Long-tailed Sunbird Anthreptes platura feed their nestlings, but it is the famale which broods them at night, entering the nest at sunset (18.15 hrs.) and leaving after 07.30 hrs., in northern Nigeria. The variability of the in- cubation behaviour of sunbirds under different environmental conditions is emphasised by the Beautiful Long-tailed Sunbird NV. pulchella which sits on its eggs very little or not at all during daytime in the intense heat of the West African sahel (Koenig 1956). References: Broekhuysen, G. J. 1963. The breeding biology of the Orange-breasted Sunbird Antho- baphes viclacea (Linneaus). Ostrich 34: 187-234. Calder, W. A. 1971. Temperature relationships and nesting of the Calliope Hummingbird. Condor 73: 314-321. Calder, W. A. & Booser, J. 1973. Hypothermia of Broad-tailed Hummingbirds during incubation in nature with ecological correlations. Science 180: 751-753. Cheke, R. A. 19714. Feeding ecology and significance of interspecific territoriality of African montane sunbirds (Nectariniidae). Revue Zool. Bot. afr. 84: 50-64. — 1971b. Temperature rhythms in African montane sunbirds. Jbis 113: 500-506. Coe, M. J. 1961. Notes on Nectarinia johnstoni johnstoni on Mt. Kenya. Ostrich 32: 101-103. Fry, C. H. 1970. Migration, moult and weights of birds in Northern Guinea savanna in Nigeria and Ghana. Ostrich Suppl. 8: 239-263. Hainsworth, F. R. & Wolf, L. L. 1970. Regulation of oxygen consumption and body temperature during torpor in a hummingbird, Eulampis jugularis. Science 168: 368-369. Koenig, L. 1956. Zum vorkommen einiger Sprinte zwischen Tessabit und Niamey (Fran- zosich-West Africa). Journ. f. Ornithol. 97: 384-402. [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] 8 Orr, R. T. 1939. Observations on the nesting of the Allen Hummingbird. Condor 41: 17-24. Skinner, N. J. 1969. Notes on the breeding of the Pygmy Long-tailed Sunbird Hedydipna platura at Zaria. Bull. Niger. Orn. Soc. 6: 124-126. Smith, R. K., Roberts, S$. W. & Miller, P. C. 1974. Calculating the nocturnal energy expenditure of an incubating Anna’s Hummingbird. Condor 76: 176-183. Snow, B. K. 1974. Lek behaviour and breeding of Guy’s Hermit Hummingbird Phaeth- ornis guy. Ibis 116: 278-297. Williams, J. G. 1951. INectarinia johnstoni: a revision of the species, together with data on pinmages, moults and habits. /bis 93: 579-595. Wolf, L. L. 1975. Energy intake and expenditures in a nectat-eating sunbird. Ecology 56: 92-104. Wolf, L. L., Hainsworth, F. R. & Gill, F. B. 1975. Foraging efficiences and time budgets in nectat-feeding birds. Ecology 56: 117-128. Wolf, L. L. si Wolf, J. S. 1971. Nesting of the Purple-throated Carib Hummingbird. /bis 113: 306-315. Morphological notes on Acridotheres tristis in Natal by R. K. Brooke Received 3 November 1975 The Indian Myna Acridotheres tristis was introduced into Durban, Natal, South Africa, about 1900 (Kent 1927) and it was then believed that the introduction was due to a consignment of these birds shipped to an animal dealer in Durban escaping and establishing themselves prior to spreading naturally over much of Natal (Calder 1953). It is known that the House Sparrow Passer domesticus can produce the characters of new subspecies in well under a hundred years on introduction to new countries (Johnston & Selander 1964 on North America, Harwin & Irwin 1966 on southern Africa). The Asiatic Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis introduced about a hundred years ago into southern Australia now has substantially longer tarsi than any Asiatic population (Frith & McKean 1975) though the actual figures are uncertain since those given in their Table 6 appear to have been multiplied by 10. That this does not happen to all birds was shown by Niethammer (1971) in respect of some west Palaearctic species introduced about a hundred years ago into New Zealand. Having now assembled a substantial panel of Natal-taken specimens at the Durban Museum it was decided to investigate whether Natal A. ¢ristis had differentiated from those of Asia. For this purpose adult Asiatic birds were borrowed from the National Museum of Natural History, Washington, and the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago. Two forms of A. ¢ristis have long been recognized (see Sharpe 1890, Hartert 1932, Vaurie 1959, Amadon 1962, Ali & Ripley 1972), namely A. 7. tristis (Linnaeus) 1766, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, 1: 167 (Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, India) throughout continental Asia and A. ¢. melanosternus Legge, 1879, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 5, 3: 168 (Sri Lanka) in Sri Lanka. All populations introduced elsewhere, mostly in the southern hemisphere, are attributed to the nominate race (Benson 1960, Amadon 1962). The accepted arrangement of natural Asiatic populations must be considered before it is possible to assess local differentiation in Natal ¢ristis. Of the discreteness of melanosternus there is no doubt. But the material examined of nominate /ris/7s shows it to be composite. Birds from peninsular India are paler and duller below and less reddish on the back than birds from Burma and Nepal. This may be expressed more accurately in the capitalized colour nomenclature of Ridgway (1912) as 9 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] upper abdomen Avellaneous in India, Verona Brown in Burma; throat and breast Deep Mouse Gray in India, Dark Mouse Gray in Burma; back pale Prout’s Brown in India, dark Snuff Brown in Burma. Plate X(4) in Smythies (1953) gives a good idea of the dark, rich colouring of Burmese birds. The four birds seen from China and Thailand are slightly darker than those of peninsular India but are closer to them in colour than they are to those of Burma and Nepal. There are two names available for the birds of Burma and Nepal (Sharpe 1890, Hartert 1932): Pastor peguanus Lesson, 1831, Traite Orn. 1: 404, Pegu, southern Burma, and Maina tristoides Hodgson, 1836, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Bengal 5: 771, Nepal. Through the kindness of Dr. Ben King of the American Museum of Natural History I have received photocopies of both proposals. I agree with Sharpe (1890) that Lesson’s name is indeterminate since it is not clearly a description of A. ¢ris#is or any other known bird. I therefore propose that A. ¢. ¢ristoides (Hodgson), 1836, be recognized as the sub- specific name of populations in central and northern Burma and Nepal, and also of those introduced populations overseas which are indistinguishable in colour and which may well have been derived from stocks trapped in Burma for the overseas bird trade. TABLE 1 Mensural data (mm and g) on Acridotheres tristis A A, ¢. melanosternus (Sri Lanka) Ad. 33 Ad. 9° Range Range Average Culmen 25, 28 26-28 (4) 26-8 Wing 140, 143 132-140 = (4) 1355 143-149 (5)? 134-138 (3)? Tail 82, 85 74-82 (4) 78°5 82-96 (5) 76-82 (3)? (Crest 17, 19 12-16 (4) 14:0 B A, ¢. tristis (India and China) Aad. and immature 83 Ad. and immature 29 Range Average KD. Range Average Aho A Culmen 24-28 (9) 26°1 I'l 24-27 (6) 26-0 1 Wing 134-147 (9) 139°9 4°0 133-143 (6) 139°2 3°4 138-1537 138-147} 133-149" (16) 144°6 131-143" (21) 13674 Tail 77-91 (8) 82:8 ed, 78-88 (5) 82:6 4°3 81-957 79-86" Crest ae-2t (8) 17°1 g-2 13-16 =(6) 14°5 I°I Both sexes together Wing 130-140 (16) Delacour & Jabouille (1931) 136-148 Hartert (1932) Tail 83-90 Hartert (1932) Weight 82-138 (20)! Localities India. Awjat (Baroda, Gujerat), Bhachau (Kutch, Gujerat), Gorakhpur (U.P.), Hoshiarpur (Punjab), Jamwala (Junagadh, Gujerat), Kanchraparai (Bengal), Khuri (Sunguja), Lake Khurjar (Sind, Pakistan), Lucknow (U.P.), Nichlaul (U.P.), Mudumalai (Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu). China. Chienchuan (Yunnan) at 2440 m a.s.l., Ndamucho (Yunnan) at 4270 m a.s.l., Youngning Mts. (Yunnan) at c. 3810 ma.s.l. in Nov. or Dec. 1928. Thailand. Pak Chong. [Bull, B.O.C. 7976: 96(1)] 10 C A. t. tristoides (central and northern Burma and Nepal) Aid. and immature 33 Aad. 22 Range Average A DN Range Culmen 250-2775. (5) n26°3 I'o 26,26 Wing 133-145 (5) 139°6 4°5 137,140 Tail 80-88 (5) 83°4 3.2 82 Crest 17-18 (Sea 7h2 O°5 14, 14 Localities Mandalay, Sittwe (Arakan), Thankote (Nepal). D A, t. tristoides (St. Helena) Ad. 3 Culmen 29, Wing 149, Tail 89, Crest 17 Ad. 2 Culmen 26, Wing 1q40, Tailor, Crest 12 E A, t. tristoides (Natal, South Africa) Range Average Sz? Range Average S.D. Ad. 338 Ad. 29 Culmen 25-31 (10) 27°6 1°8 24-29 (13) 2687 r*2 Wing 135-143 (12) 139°9 2°8 13I-14t (12) 135°1 3°3 Tail 78-90 (11) 83-8 3°6 75-88 (8) 80-0 4°5 Crest 14-18 (12) 199 1-2 13-185 (13) 14°9 1°8 Weight 106-134 (4) 121°3 98-116 (5) 108-6 73 Imm. 83 Imm. && Culmen 25-30 (10) 28°1 I°5 25°5-28 (12) 26°8 0:8 Wing 133-144 (10) 139°7 3°9 129-137 (11) 133°1 2°8 Tail 74-86 (7) 79°4 5°4 74-80 (8) 77°3 2°3 Crest 12-18 (10) 15°1 2° 12-16"5 (12) 14°70 Iv 5 Weight 118-134 (4) 129-2 102-116 (3) 11E-e Ad. amd imm. 33 Ald. and imm. 22 Culmen 25-31 (20) 27°9 1°6 24-29 (25) 26-8 I*O Wing 133-144 (22) 139°8 3°3 129-141 (23) 134°1 3°2 Tail 74-90 (18) 82:1 4°7 74-88 (16) 78-6 ZF Crest 12-18 (22) 15°5 LF 12-18+5 (25) 14°4 | Weight 106-134 (8) .123°3 9°5 98-116 (8) 109°5 meee, Juvenal 33 Juvenal SP Culmen 23-28 (9) 25:8 I°5 26-28 (3) 2770 Wing 124-135 (9) 130°8 3°9 121~133 (3) 128°3 Tail 63-69 (6) 66°8 m2 60-67 (3) 63°5 Juvenals of both sexes Culmen 23-28 (14) 26°1 I°4 Wing 121-135 (14) 130°0 4°1 Tail 60-69 (9) 66:2 20 Eggs Natal 27°5-33°0 1°6 x (16) 29-4 X 21°3 S.D, 1072-22 4] 0:8 Soviet? 28+7-32°4 x 20*4-23°0 (16) 30°1-21°6 Indian? 27°6-35°0 (100) 30:8 X 21-9 x 19*2-23°2 Localities Camperdown, Durban, Inanda, Marianhill, Pietermaritzburg, Pinetown, Umhlanga Rocks. NOTES 1Ali & Ripley (1972) *Dement’ev & Gladkov (1970) Culmens have been measured from the skull. The crest is the length of the feathers in the second last row of elongated, lanceolate feathers on the occiput. II [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] The first point that emerges from study of the Natal birds is that nearly all of those in fresh plumage are the darker, more richly coloured ¢ristoides and that very few resemble nominate /r7stis. 1 conclude that the trade consign- ment sent to Durban was composite but that the majority of the birds were -tristoides and that this is the subspecific name that should be applied. I would add that of 21 Natal adults and immatures (not juvenals) in fresh plumage all eight from Pietermaritzburg in the less humid interior are /réstoides and that it is only among the specimens from the humid coastal regions that three birds resembling nominate ¢r/sts have been found. The three specimens seen from the island of St. Helena are clearly ¢ristozdes. Tam told by a friend who recently visited the Seychelles archipelago that the A. ¢ristis there are clearly duller in appearance than those he is accustomed to seeing in Durban, 1.e. the stock there is nominate /risi7s. _ The linear measurements of A. /ristis are unusually variable for a bird of its size (Table 1), the tail length in particular. The wing lengths (Table 13) are longer in Soviet birds than in Indochinese birds: but only the examina- tion of large series will clarify the extent of geographical and sexual variation in linear measurements. Naik & Naik (1969) deny that there is sexual dimorphism in wing and tail measurements after examining 112 specially collected birds from Gujerat, India, but they do not give figures to support their statement. However, Natal females (Table 1£) are highly significantly shorter winged than males: a “‘t”’ test on the means for adults and immatures taken together gives a value of 5-88, P < -oor. A similar test on tail length gives 2°39 which is just significant, P < -o5. The figures for the culmen are 2°82, P < -o1; for the crest 2:21, P < -05; for weight 3-31, P < -o1. Thus Natal females are generally lighter than males and smaller, particularly in wing length. Culmens have been measured from the skull. The crest is the length of the feathers in the second last row of elongated, lanceolate feathers on the occiput. TABLE 2 ithe differences between adults and juvenals of Natal Acridotheres tristis tristoides (see also measurements in Table 1B) Adult sides of lower mandible dark palate black crown and occiput feathers lanceolate and Black. occipital feathers 11 mm or longer dorsal skin dark back dark Snuff Brown primaries dull Black primary 10 does not reach the end of the White basal section of primary 9 outer greater upper primary coverts White secondaries 7 and 8 uniform Fuscous alular 2 with White outer web rump Snuff Brown oil gland with sparse black down upper sides of rectrices Black _ throat Dark Mouse Gray breast Dark Mouse Gray - upper abdomen Verona Brown _ under sides of retrices Black tipped with White, including the shafts ~ claws horn coloured Juvenal pale and concolorous with the rest of the bill. yellow not lanceolate and Chaetura Black slightly tipped with brown. less than to mm long pale Auburn Fuscous Black reaches to at least the base of Fuscous Black distal section marked with dusky tipped with Mikado Brown dusky with White patch Cacao Brown no down Chaetura Black Wood Brown Mouse Gray tipped with pale Cacao Brown Mikado Brown Chaetura Black and Pale Vinaceous Fawn with dark shafts to the end yellow Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] 12 The descriptions of the juvenal plumage in the standard works under- estimate the distinctiveness of this plumage, at least in Natal birds. The points of difference are set out in Table 2, in which the capitalized colour names are those of Ridgway (1912). But more curious is that juvenals moult the tail about a fortnight after leaving the nest and thus most juvenal speci- mens have second generation tails which are moulted with the remainder of the juvenal plumage at the end of summer, in Natal between January and June. The first generation of tail feathers are Chaetura Black and narrow with slightly pointed tip. The pale ends of the rectrices are Pale Vinaceous Fawn and the pale section of the sixth or outermost measures c. 10°5 mm in width by 6 mm in depth. The second generation of tail feathers are Black and broader, though not longer, with a slightly pointed tip. The pale ends are White with a dark shaft and the outermost measures c. 13 mm in width by 14 mm in depth. The third and subsequent generations of tail feathers are Black and even broader, with scalloped ends to the inner webs. The pale ends are White, the outermost measuring c. 17 mm in width by 18 mm in depth. Within the white sections in third generation feathers part or all of the shaft may be black but it is always white in the fourth and subsequent generations. The post juvenal moult leads to a plumage which is scarcely distinguishable from that of adults. In some birds the three or four outermost greater upper primary wing coverts are lightly marked with dusky instead of being plain white, and in some birds some or all of the shafts of the rectrices are at least partly black within the white terminal sections. Naik & Naik (1969) comment that nominate /ris/zs in very fresh plumage have light grey tips to all dark feathers and that these soon abrade, leaving the plumage at the start of the breeding season brighter than it was when fresh. This is not true of Natal birds though here the Dark Mouse Gray breast feathers have Verona Brown tips when very fresh. In an immature female the palate was not black as in adults or yellow as in juvenals but dusky pink: more immature birds must be examined to see if this character is constant. The testes of one male collected in immature plumage in the breeding season were (left) 13 x 5, (tight) 12 5 mm and thus of a size to be fully functional. It appears that in Natal A. ¢rists starts breeding when it is just under a year old. There are three alular quills as stated by Naik & Naik (1969) and this is the commonest number in the Passeriformes. Quills 1 and 2 (no. 1 being the innermost as recommended by Van Tyne & Berger 1959) are pied but do not match the adjacent upper primary coverts. This lack of matching is the less common situation in birds. Quill 3 is totally black, perhaps to strengthen it as being the longest quill and the one most subject to abrasion through use. There is no subalular aptertum but the feathering here is sparser in juvenals than in adults, a situation which is probably widespread in birds which do not have this apterium in adults and of some slight advantage in reducing the number of feathers that the nestling has to grow in a very short period. Likewise, in juvenal A. ¢ristis the oil gland is nude but in adults it is sparsely covered ‘with black down. Naik & Naik (1969) have elucidated the moult patterns of nominate tristis in western India. Natal ¢ristozdes reflect the patterns they have detected, including the marked tendency to a jumbled mode in the rectrices, irrespective of generation. Egg laying continues into January in Natal (Dean 1971) and an adult female collected on 5 February had started to moult at least a fort- night earlier. As in India, there is no clear demarcation between the breeding and moulting seasons. 13 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] As in many starlings, plain white feathers may be found in tracts which are normally pigmented. I have seen three Asiatic specimens with white occipital feathers and a Natal specimen with a pure white outer left rectrix. One Chinese bird in fresh plumage had white tips to the first five primaries and the first seven secondaries. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am obliged for the loan of material to the authorities of the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, the National Museum of Natural History, Washington, the National Museum of Rhodesia, Bulawayo, the Transvaal Museum, Pretoria. I would also thank Dr. B. Stuckenberg for facilities for study in the Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg, and Mr. G. Indelicato for obtaining a series of 17 birds at Marianhill at my request. Mr. P. A. Clancey has kindly commented on a draft of this paper which arises out of his observations to me on material available in 1973. References: Ali, S. & Ripley, S. D. 1972. Handbook of the birds of India and Pakistan, 5. Bombay: Oxford University Press. Amadon, D. 1962. in Check-list of birds of the world, 15 (Ed. Mayr & Greenway). Cambridge (Mass.): Museum Comparative Zoology. Benson, C. W. 1960. The birds of the Comoro Islands. [bis 103b: 5-106. Calder, D. R. 1953. The distribution of the Indian Myna. Bokmakierie 5: 4-6. Dean, W. R. J. 1971. Breeding data for the birds of Natal and Zululand. Durban Mus. Novit. 9: 59-91. Delacour, J. & Jabouille, P. 1931. Les oiseaux del’ Indochine Francaise, 4. Paris: Exposition Coloniale Internatn. Dement’ev, G. P. & Gladkov, N. A. 1970. Birds of the Soviet Union, 5. Jerusalem: Israel Program Scientific Translations. Frith, H. J. & McKean, J. L. 1975. Races of the introduced Spotted Turtledove, Strepto- pelia chinensis (Scopoli), in Australia. Austral. Journ. Zool. 23: 295-306. Hartert, E. 1932. Die Vogel der paldarktischen Fauna suppl. Berlin: Friedlander. Harwin, R. M. & Irwin, M. P. S. 1966. The spread of the House Sparrow, Passer domesticus, in south-central Africa. Arnoldia (Rhod.) 2: 24. Johnston, R. F. & Selander, R. K. 1964. House Sparrows: rapid evolution of races in North America. Science 144: 548-550. Kent, C. C. 1927. The Indian Myna. S. Afr. Journ. Nat. Hist. 6: 127-129. Naik, N. L. & Naik, R. M. 1969. On the plumages and moults of some Indian starlings. ~) Payouy:.47-73.- Niethammer, G. 1971. Zur Taxonomie europaischer, in Neuseeland eingebiigerter Vogel. Journ, f. Orn. 112: 202-226. Ridgway, R. 1912. Color standards and color nomenclature. Washington: Author. Sharpe, R. B. 1890. Catalogue of the birds in the British Museum, 13. London: Trustees British Museum. Smythies, B. E. 1953. The birds of Burma. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd. Van Tyne, J. & Berger, A. J. 1959. Fundamentals of ornithology. New York: Wiley. Vaurie, C. 1959. The birds of the palearctic fauna. London: Witherby. The status of Aratinga astec melloni Twomey by Kenneth C.. Parkes Received on 12 December 1975 Since the description of Aratinga astec melloni by Twomey in 1950, only two authors, to my knowledge, have commented on this alleged Honduran subspecies of the Olive-throated Parakeet. Twomey described me//oni as differing from A. a. astec in being “decidedly paler on the breast, abdomen and flanks, the green being duller and more suffused with a grayish undertone, the olivaceous cast to the breast and throat duller; the back is paler with an olivaceous cast on the crown, back and interscapular regions in contrast to the brighter green of Aratinga astec astec’’. Montoe (1968) examined a large [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] 14 series of this species from southern Mexico and Central America, and could find no significant variation in colour. Forshaw (1973) gave melloni a full numbered entry, but stated that it was “‘doubtfully distinct” and “probably not separable” from astec, citing Monroe. Both these latter authors overlooked the fact that Twomey’s comparative material of astec contained only specimens from Costa Rica, although the type locality of Conurus astec Souancé is “Mexico”. Twomey had no Mexican specimens other than one of A. a. vicinalis (Bangs & Penard) from Tamau- lipas. If Honduran specimens were indeed separable from those of Costa Rica as claimed by Twomey, one would expect them to resemble those of Mexico, and Twomey would thus have named the wrong population. On the other hand, Twomey considered seven specimens from British Honduras to be “intermediate between Aratinga astec vicinalis and Aratinga astec melloni’’. As vicinalis is presently considered to be a subspecies from Tamaulipas and northern Veracruz, intergradation in British Honduras between this form and the alleged Honduran form me/loni would place in question the range and characters of nominate as¢ec, from an unspecified locality in Mexico. Although Marien & Koopman (1955) considered the two specimens of vicinalis they examined to be “exceedingly similar” to astec, the limited number of specimens I have examined indicate that it is quite recognizeable, an opinion which is shared by, among others, Monroe (1968) and Allan R. Phillips (pers. comm.). Forshaw (1973) accepts it without comment. As is clearly indicated by a series of specimens from Veracruz in the U.S. National Museum of Natural History, intergradation between vicinalis and astec extends through much of that state. A specimen from Potrero, less than 150 km south of Altamira, Tamaulipas, the type locality of vicinalis, is intermediate between the two subspecies. Farther south, two of six from Tres Zapotes and one of two from Motzorongo clearly show some influence of vicinalis. Of the other four Tres Zapotes specimens, two are so badly worn and stained that colour evaluation is impossible, and two are within the range of variation of Middle American asec. This is also true of the second Motzorongo specimen and the two from farther south, at Paso Nuevo. It would appear to be desirable to restrict the type locality of Conurus astec Souancé to some place in Mexico from which specimens are well removed from any influence of vicinalis, and from which early specimens may plausibly have been received. Accordingly, I designate the restricted type locality of astec as Mérida, Yucatan. An old Mérida specimen and two old specimens from Chichén Itza (about 100 km east of Mérida) in the U.S. National Museum, and a recent specimen from Kopomé (about 50 km southwest of Mérida) in Carnegie Museum of Natural History, are all good matches for Central American specimens. This parakeet is abundant on the Yucatan Peninsula. Returning now to the question of me//oni, the Carnegie Museum series has been augmented by four additional specimens collected by Twomey at Coyoles, Honduras, subsequent to his description of me//oni, and we have also acquired several specimens from various localities on the Yucatan Peninsula. Study of this series leads me to accord with Monroe’s opinion, based on a larger sample, that the Honduran specimens have no distinctive characters of their own. Monroe stated that “There is much variation in the intensity of green coloration due to wear (or fading)”, and I may add that many of the specimens are also badly stained. Of the series originally studied by Twomey, all are still at Carnegie Museum of Natural History except for the Coyoles paratype of me/loni, which is now in the Peabody Museum of 1§ [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] Natural History, Yale University. Five of the six specimens from Manatee Lagoon, British Honduras, and all four of the specimens from Guapiles, Costa Rica, are so badly discoloured ventrally as to be almost valueless for colour comparisons. Enough clean specimens are available, however, to indicate that individual variation is rather marked, and transcends any supposed geographic variation within the range traditionally assigned to astec. It is clear that me/loni Twomey is to be considered a synonym of astec Souancé. In listing his paratypes, Twomey inadvertently repeated one catalogue number. The specimen collected at Trujillo, Honduras on 30 March 1948 should be no. 132,506 rather than no. 132,540. __ Finally, it should be noted that Bond (1945 and subsequent publications), Marien & Koopman (1955), and Forshaw (1973) have all considered Ara- tinga astec to be conspecific with A. nana of Jamaica (nana being the senior name). After examining the series in the U.S. National Museum of nana (a form lacking in Carnegie Museum of Natural History), I agree with these authors that the differences between nana and astec, at least those visible in study skins, are so minor that the most reasonable taxonomic treatment is to consider them conspecific. It follows, therefore, that I advocate the recog- nition of three subspecies: Aratinga nana nana (Vigors) of Jamaica; A. n. vicinalis (Bangs & Penard) of Tamaulipas and northernmost Veracruz, | Mexico; and A. n. astec (Souancé) of southern Veracruz, Mexico, south to | Panama. | References: Bond, J. 1945. Check-list of birds of the West Indies. Philadelphia: Academy of Natural Sciences. | Forshaw, J. M. 1973. Parrots of the world. Melbourne: Lansdowne. | Marien, D. & Koopman, K. F. 1955. The relationships of the West Indian species of Aratinga (Aves, Psittacidae). Amer. Mus. Novit. No. 1712: 1-20. | Monroe, B. M. Jr. 1968. A distributional survey of the birds of Honduras. Ornith. Monogr. No. 7: 1-458. | Twomey, A. C. 1950. A new race of paroquet of the species Aratinga astec from the Republic of Honduras. Amn. Carnegie Mus. 31: 297-298. The Taxonomic Status of the Scottish Crossbill Loxéa sp. by Alan G. Knox Received 3 December 1975 For many years now there has been controversy over the affinities of the Scottish Crossbill, described as Loxia curvirostra scotica, but sometimes placed as a race of the Parrot Crossbill L. pytyopsittacus. The problem centres on scotica’s morphological intermediacy between nominate L. ¢. curvirostra and L. pytyopsittacus, and the fact that the race maintains itself in the face of repeated invasions of ¢. curvirostra, some of which remain to breed alongside the residents (for details and references see Knox, 1975). Sympatric breeding without any significant hybridisation (if any) indicates that reproductive isolation exists, and thus prevents the treatment of ¢. curvirostra and c. scotica as conspecifics. On the other hand, placing L. ¢. scotica with L. pytyopsittacus assumes absence of reproductive isolation, and that the two are directly related. Both assumptions lack evidence. It is just as likely that L. c. scotica ‘and L. pytyopsittacus arose from ancestral L. curvirostra independently, and ) even if L.. pytyopsittacus did arise from ancestral L. ¢. scotica, their differences | t i [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] 16 would strongly suggest they are now isolated. With the. above problem in view an investigation was made into the morphology of L. ¢. scotica and its closest relatives. METHODS From the skins of full grown L. pytyopsittacus, c. scotica, c. curvirostra, ¢. guillemardi and c. poliog yna, mandibular profile photographs were taken.on the side to which the lower mandible crossed, and the following measurements made: culmen length (taken as a chord from the base of the feathering to the bill tip), lower mandible length (taken as a chord from the notch where the rami join to the tip), lower mandible width (maximum width where the rami enter the skin), and combined mandibular depth (at the base of the man- dibles), as well as the wing length (flattened and straightened). Using the photographs and a camera lucida, the outline of each upper mandible was enlarged within a standard grid consisting of two parallel upright lines, one 5 cm long, perpendicular to the ends of a 7 cm horizontal baseline. The image of the base of the culmen at the feathering (A on Fig. 1a) was placed at the distal end of the 5 cm line on the grid (B on Fig. 1a), and the image was enlarged until the tip of the upper mandible fitted into the corner formed by the baseline and the other perpendicular (C on Fig. 1a). The outline was then “komogsuw Jom > q@cegit Figure 1a. Grid used for obtaining the Figure 1b. The grid with the fitted outline index of curvature and index of depth, and of the upper mandible of a crossbill. the outline of the bill of a crossbill. For Distances measured (in mm) and summed further explanation see the text. ~ . to give the index of curvature represented by dotted lines (a-b, c-d, e-f to w-x), ID= distance (in mm) used as index of depth. drawn. For about half the birds it was necessary to reverse the grid as the bill crossed to the other side. From points at 5 mm intervals along the 7 cm baseline, starting 1 cm from the 5 cm line, and excluding the final point, the perpendicular distance from the baseline to the outline of the culmen (a-b, c—d, e-f to w—x) was measured in mm. These twelve measurements were then summed to give an index of curvature, a figure quantifying the culmen curvature. An index of depth (an indirect measure of upper mandible depth in relation to culmen length) was found by estimating the perpendicular distance of the proximal part of the upper mandibular tomium to the top of the 5 cm line (ID on Fig. rb). From this index of depth, a corrected index of depth (taking into account variations in culmen length) was calculated thus: index of depth x culmen length 7o The value of the divisor has no special significance; in this case it is taken from the length of the grid baseline (in mm). = corrected index of depth 17 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] Although Witherby e/ a/ (1938) claimed that the bill depth for scotica was 12*5-14*5 mm compared to 10-5—12 mm in ¢. curvirostra, it was evident in _my series that an overlap existed and that none of the measurements would distinguish all of ¢. curvirostra from all of ¢. scotica (Tables 1-8). The ¢. curvi- rostra|c. scotica assemblage was therefore divided into two geographical classes: (i) birds from the “Highland” area (the main range of ¢. scotica: the former counties of Perth, Aberdeen, Banff, Moray, Nairn, Inverness and Ross), and (ii) those from the remaining parts of the British Isles and Europe (excluding Spain and Asia Minor, where there may be other races involved). By treating the sexes separately, and plotting the width of the lower mandible / against the index of curvature, it was found that the points representing /birds from the two areas formed overlapping, but diagonally opposed 12 — = oO width of lower mandible (in mm) 40 60 80 100 index of curvature (-400) Figure 2. Width of lower mandible plotted against index of curvature for full grown male crossbills. Open squares, L. ¢. scotica; filled squares, L. ¢. curvirostra collected in the High- lands; filled circles, L. ¢. curvirostra collected in other parts of Britain and Europe. | clusters, with the exception of some points representing ¢. curvirostra im- migrants collected in the “Highlands” (Fig. 2). The clusters were subjec- tively separated, and the averages and ranges of measurements for the groups calculated. The measurements of each bird collected in the British | Isles were in turn repeatedly compared with those of the groups, to see into which the bird best fitted, and, if necessary, the averages and ranges of | measurements for the groups then recalculated. Using this method, most | birds were easily assigned to either ¢. scotica or ¢. curvirostra, though mis- | identification possibly occurred in a few cases. [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] 18 TABLES 1-8 Linear and derived measurements of crossbills L.c. scotica L.c.curvirostra L.c. poliogyna L. c¢. guillemardi 3d 3d = OG OG SS APES 2F TABLE I Wing length (in mm) Mean = 1047 101°6 = 994 -96°6 = 977 :-95"3 Ss 96°0 -9472 97°55 94°00 Number 29 14 39 21 99 30 37 26 15 5 SD+ ZIG." eT 24) Zerg 7 Ha aS a: rer 28 2c '2°6 2SE+ 0°96 0°58 one! 1-08 0750 0°66 0*7O 0°90 T4062 202 Range I00— 100- 95- 90- 90-93 92— _-90- 95-. .9I- LOG. a Tas 104 100 103 99 IOI 99 101 97 TABLE 2 Culmen length (in mm) Mean 20% 3021057 18:9 18°8 18-8 18:6 L857 18 a2 1909. LES 7 Number 29 14 39 21 98 30 35 26 15 5 SD+ o*6: So*4 G0" > O=G Ons-\ o-' 8 IO: OF O96 .1*0 2SE+ Q*24, 0°20 0:20 0°26 Oy ie? Sr 0*3.2) 'omZe 0°48 0°94 Range 18*§— 18-5— 17°§— 180O- 17°0- 16*5— 17-0 17°0— 187§= 17°5- 22°O 20°5 20°O 20°0 2120. 2055 21°O 20°0 ZI" 5 -20°0 TABLE 3 Lower mandible length (in mm) Mean 12°Gs 12\-'8 £2:2, D250 12°O), 12°,0 1L7 216 E2AF » 24 Number 29 14 39 21 97 30 37 26 15 5 SD+ ro fto~5 o*5 T0"4 o*6 08 Or "3 or6 “io"9 258+: 0°36 0°24 0°16 0°16 Oo" 15, O91 0°20 0°12 0°32 080 Range T2*O- TI°§— I1°O- II'O— If°O- I1°O— 10°§— I1°O- 12°O- TI'5- LA*O. 235%5 1350 | 12-5 T4s0y T5*'5 igs0, 12°O 14°0 xe) TABLE 4 Width of lower mandible (in mm) Mean 12°23 9a 12°O 11°6 II*O f0°7 10°G 10:6 Lke4, WT Number 28 13 3 Sl) ZI 93 29 34 25 15 4 SD+ OO \G-3 6-4; Ors O'5e 2hoo o*4, 0°38 O74, D4 2SE+ @"22, 10°20 Ors 0°23 O°1i FO"37 Q:07 0°07 G°22 4D*20 Range II‘§— 12°§— I1°O- 10°5- 9°5— 10°0- Q°O- 10°O— = TO" §— 10°5— I4°§ 1 13°§ ¥3°O. 18R5 2-0 5 11 35 Il-O #11 1270 (HLS TABLE 5 Depth of mandibles at base (in mm) Mean £34, 2370 LueGo TLS 10°7 To5 10°6:. 10°45 Ibo: ID'S Number 11 13 20 10 66 22 24 17 7 I SD+ OPGi 2. OPH OG 074 ors" ors a4 (0-3 ag — 2SE+ 0°31 0°48 0°27 0°24 0-12 0°34 O*16.5 a7 o-22 = Range 12*§— 12°§5- 11°O— I1‘oO— 9°§5- 9°5- 9°§- I0°O- I0°5- — LAS... L3e'§ 1320) (2:30 12°O hiGk'§ lis §y-1L:o LE75 TABLE 6 Index of Curvature (—400) Mean 88°4 73°1 68-5 69:4 42°5 46-2 70:5 60°7 69°6 51°6 Number 29 14 38 21 97 30 36 26 15 5 SD+ El AT) nS °F 14°7 / 1B. 5 13°9 12°4 1227 "(ris 14°70 18-2 2SE+ Ar i272 4°76 *8207 2°82 0.4253 4°24 4°§2 7 240 16 432 Range $3- = .53- 4I- 4§5- 8— -_22- 4O-- 42- 46-—_ 26- 107 103 93 109 74 ~=«68 92 85 9§ 72 TABLE 7 Index of Depth Mean 34°3035°6 33°I 34°8 BE" Bs iter42 32°O 32°1 30°7 32°8 Number 29 14 38 21 97 30 36 26 15 5 SD+ 147 [AES 243) +6 2°12. A'gvG pepe ps 18-3 2SE+ 0°63 0:96 0°74 0°69 0°44 0°95 0°64 0:66 O93. 1°17 Range 32- °° 33- 29- .32- 28— 26- 29-- - 29- 27- + 31- 3939 40 39 ai, 221385 36; eas 34.34 TABLE 8 Corrected Index of Depth Mean 9°9 I0°0 8-gnorg:3 SF Hc (iBHZ SAH ets 8-7 8-8 Number 29 14 38 21 97 30 35 26 15 5 SD+ 04 OF Or§ 0°4 0°6. ..0°5 O°4 O74 On Sas OES 2SE+ 0°16 0°25 o-i7 Ors O°1T , o°18 STs O-l7 0°26 0°40. Range Pe Be y= T2 Ge Sa Thi mala po te ae i ee ae II*r .10°9 10°6 10%3 TO" 3) f1gi2 Ss) Los 9°9 972 L. pytyopsittacus Sots 19 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)} TABLE 9 Coefficients of Difference (Mayr 1969: 189) for the measurements of male crossbills. L. pytyopsittacus ¢. scotica and L. pytyopsittacus and ¢. scotica ¢. curvirostra and ¢. curvirostra wing length 1°06 oeg5 1°37 culmen length tig 0°07 1°07 width of lower mandible 0°30 tag Fee | . 1°18) depth of combined mandibles 1°64 0-82 2°70 index of curvature 0°77 o'9gI 1°84 DISCUSSION Tables 1-8 show that in wing length (which in crossbills is roughly pro- portional to body size) and culmen length, ¢. scotica is very similar to c. curvirostra, and in all measurements the degree of overlap is extensive (further details in Knox 1975). L. pytyopsittacus, on the other hand, is quite distinct, especially when two or more features are considered together. The superficial similarity between Scottish and Parrot Crossbills extends only to some aspects of bill shape (Table 9). Additional evidence for this morpho- logical separation is found in comparing their respective song spectrograms, that of ¢. scotica being more like ¢. curvirostra than either is to L. pytyopsittacus (Knox, unpublished). The large-billed L. pytyopsittacus (which feeds largely on pine P7nus) probably arose in north-west Europe before the advance of spruce Picea (on which L. curvirostra largely feeds) into the region. Since L. pytyopsittacus and L. curvirostra became sympatric, character displacement has probably empha- sised the differences between them. Nevertheless, with reproductive isolation occurring between ¢. curvirostra and ¢. scotica (despite their similarities), it seems unlikely that ¢. scotia and L. pytyopsittacus are not also isolated. Since, additionally, there is no evidence at present to support the proposal that L. c. scotica and L. pytyopsittacus are directly related, it is recommended that the Scottish Crossbill be treated as a monotypic species, Loxia scotica Hartert, as previously suggested by Salomonsen (1963: 415). It is further suggested that there may be other forms of crossbill, at present designated subspecies, which should be likewise treated. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank I. C. J. Galbraith and I. H. J. Lyster for their hospitality when I visited the British Museum (Tring) and the Royal Scottish Museum (Edinburgh) respec- tively. Dr. F. Salomonsen (through Dr. W. R. P. Bourne) kindly provided a translation of his 1963 reference quoted here. I am particularly grateful to Professor V. C. Wynne- Edwards for advice, and for criticising a draft of this paper. References : Knox, A. G. 1975. Crossbill Taxonomy. Pages 191-201 in Pine Crossbills, by D. Nethersole-Thomspon. Poyser, Berkhampstead. Mayr, E. 1969. Principles of Systematic Zoology. New York. Salomonsen, F, 1963. Systematisk Oversigt Over Nordens Fugle. Volume 7 of Lordens : Fugle I Farver, edited by N. Blaedel. Ejnar Munksgaard, Skandinavisk Bogforlag. . _ Witherby, H. F., Jourdain, F. C. R., Ticehurst, N. F. & Tucker, B. W. 1938. The Handbook : of British Birds, Volume 1, Witherby, London. [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] 20 Taxonomic and faunistic notes on birds of the Malay Peninsula by D. RB. Wells and Lord Medway Received 5 December 1975 The fifth and concluding volume of The Birds of the Malay Peninsula (Medway & Wells 1976), the text of which was completed on 20 May 1972 and closed to further amendment in proof on 31 December 1973, includes systematic citation of all birds known in the region at the latter date. For most taxa a skeleton synonymy indicates the authority for nomenclatural usage, but the arrangement of the book (which follows the general format of previous volumes) made it inappropriate to discuss purely taxonomic decisions. All new or possibly controversial nomenclature to appear is accordingly ex- plained in the present paper. Other matter herein is faunistic, and includes the correction of previously published misidentifications which could distort the true picture of geographical distribution, range of habitats or status. We also take the opportunity to remark on changes in nomenclature introduced since 1973, and on some important revisions of range and two additional species discovered by recent fieldwork. Medway & Wells (1976) is referred to frequently merely by page number. As in the book, the region denoted by the term “Malay Peninsula” (or in adjectival form Peninsular”) comprises the Republic of Singapore, the states of Peninsular Malaysia and the provinces of Southern Thailand north to precisely 10° N, including politically associated islands. All localities mentioned are listed in the gazetteer and/or shown in the maps in Medway & Wells (1976). The English and systematic nomenclature and the sequence of species follow the book; additional species are inserted according to their position in Deignan (1963). Specimens were examined from the collections of the following institutions, cited in the abbreviated form indicated: Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia (ANSP); American Museum of Natural History, New York (AMNH); private museum of Dr. Boonsong Lekagul, Bangkok (BLM); British Museum (Natural History), Tring (BMNH); Muzium Negara, Kuala Lumpur (MNKL); Peninsular Malaysian Game Department (PMGD); Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie, Leiden (RNH); Singapore national collections, late of the National Museum, now at the Zoology Department, University of Singapore (ZDUS); Thai national collections, Applied Scientific Research Corporation of Thailand, Bangkok (TNC); United States National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C. (USNM); University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge (CMZ); and Zoology Department, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur (ZDUM). Measurements were made of the wing flattened and straightened, the tail flattened and measured from the base of the central rectrices, and the gape as a chord from the angle of the mouth to the tip of the longest mandible. Little Grebe Podiceps ruficollis Little Grebes may for long have bred undetected in Tale Noi, Tale Sap and other natural open waters or swamps in the Thai provinces of the Malay Peninsula, but in the Malaysian states the presence of resident populations has been confirmed only in artificial habitats of modern origin, suggesting a recent extension of range. Peninsular birds were assigned to P. r. philippensis by Robinson & Kloss (1921) and by later authors until Deignan (1963) identified all Thai specimens (mentioning examples from the Peninsular provinces of Trang and Phatthalung) as P. r. poggei. On this authority we tentatively extended the range of pogge/ to include also the Malaysian states (p. 77). Available comparative material shows no consistent plumage differences between topotypes of poggei and philippensis, notwithstanding the 21 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] distinctions claimed by Reichenow (1902): the colour of the underparts and extent of black on the chin are particularly variable. There are however significant differences between the two races in the size of the bill, in which all specimens from the Malay Peninsula conform with P. r. poggei (Table 1). We noted that a bird in non-breeding plumage taken in the northern winter on the small island of Pisang (which lacks freshwater habitat suitable for a resident population) was probably a migrant. Sizeable flocks on Tale Noi in February and September 1974 (Holmes & Wells 1975) also suggest migration, which might therefore explain reports of subspecific intergrades in extralimital peninsular Thailand (Robinson & Kloss 1921) and southern Vietnam (Delacour & Jabouille 1931). From his description, however, Riley’s (1938: 20) identification of P. r. albipennis (= capensis) in Trang province is clearly wrong; it was ignored by Deignan (1963). TABLE 1 Measurements (mm) of Little Grebes Podiceps ruficollis Wing- Dimensions of bill Collection or Locality No. length Gape Depth at angle reference of gonys P.r. poggei China 10 97-108 25 *0-29°6 5*1-6°6 BMNH Malay 5 97-102 24 -29 §°O-5°2 BMNH, Peninsula CMZ}, ZDUS, PGMD, USNM P.r. philip- Luzon? 4 97-110 29*2-33°3 5°4-6°4 BMNH pensis Notes: +4Specimen kindly examined by Mr. C. W. Benson *Birds in nuptial plumage only Red-billed Tropic Bird Phaethon aethereus D. Goodwin (im /itt.) has confirmed that the only known specimen of a tropic bird collected within the defined limits of the Malay Peninsula (BMNH 1880.1.1.3423), although rather dirty and discoloured, is attribu- table to P. a. indicus. Blue-faced Booby Sw/a dactylatra On visits in March and July 1973, Langham, Wells & Charles (1973, 1974) found no Blue-faced (= Masked) Boobies on the island of Pulau Perak, the only known nesting locality within the limits of the Malay Peninsula (p. 80), and concluded that the former small breeding population is now extinct. Thus it may now be impossible to check Gibson-Hill’s (1956) attribution of this population on geographical grounds to the subspecies bedoutz, generally regarded (e.g. Condon 1975) as a synonym of S. d. personata. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea The Grey Herons of Malaysia and Indonesia share the habit of nesting in mangrove. Mees (1971) thought it likely that breeding birds of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia would prove attributable to A. ¢. altirostris, the subspecies described by him from Java and Sumatra, rather than A. c. jouyi (type locality Japan) in which they were placed by Vaurie (1965). Our series together with ten BMNH specimens from various parts of China, show overlap not only in the length of the bill but also in its depth, the character [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] 22 considered critical by Mees. Of the five specimens from the Malay Peninsula (Table 2), only those from Trang and Pulau Ketam, Selangor, are within the size range of a/tirostris; the other three are too small, including one from Matang, a district of extensive mangrove and a known breeding haunt. Long-billed birds, with culmen 127-133 mm, have also been taken far inland in northwestern Thailand on 24 March (ZDUS) and 7 August (Gylden- stolpe 1916) and in Laos on 22 January (BMNH 1936.4.12.859). Eleven other specimens taken in the Thai-Indochinese region during the northern winter (BMNH, ZDUS) fall within the size range of jouyz. Some of these may have been migrants from temperate latitudes: birds ringed in Russia have been recovered in northern Thailand (McClure 1974) and all records from northern and northwestern Borneo were attributed to migrants by Smythies (1968). Yet there is at present no evidence that migrants reach the Malay Peninsula and the dates of the two smallest specimens fall outside the normal wintering sojourn of migratory ardeids in the area. If our sample is representative of the resident Peninsular population, this is apparently to some extent intermediate between jouyz and a/tirostris; but until a larger number of authentic breeding adults is available we have retained existing nomenclature (p. 84). TABLE 2 Bill measurements (mm) of Grey Herons Ardea cinerea taken according to Mee’s (1971) technique Locality Number or Culmen Bill depth Date Collection or SAX G8 reference A, ¢. jouyi China & Japan 17¢¢ 105-126 22°§-26°7 — Mees (1971) & BMNH Kapang, Trang o imm_ 129 25°5 31 Dec ANSP 138493? Perak Co. aa 107 23°5 26 May ZDUS Matang, Perak 2 ad 110 23°5 1 Jan ZDUS Pulau Ketam? Gy (ad 114 24°5 3 Jan MNKL 587 Singapore S imm_ 108 24°0 26 Aug ZDUS A. ¢. altirostris Java & 28 3 111-137 24-29 Mar—Nov Mees (1971) Sumatra Notes: ‘Kindly measured by Dr. F. B. Gill 2A known breeding site Crested Honey Buzzard Pernis ptylorhyncus The identification of all migrants as the eastern Palaearctic subspecies P. p. orientalis (p. 104) discounted Stresemann’s (1940) attribution of four winter specimens from Trang, Perak and Malacca to P. p. ruficollis, the sub- species breeding from India through subtropical Southeast Asia (Vaurie 1965). One of these (unsexed, labelled “Malacca, 7 January 1885’’) could well have been a trade skin and is therefore of uncertain provenance (see Medway & Wells 1976: xiv); two can be shown to conform with P. p. orientalis; only one is potentially controversial. No plumage characters satisfactorily distinguish the two races. Differences in tail coloration asserted by Stresemann (1940) were not corroborated in a larger sample (Vaurie & Amadon 1962). Stresemann’s statistic (100 x tail- length/wing-length) is equally unhelpful. Some attention has been paid to an average difference in the length and shape of the wing, which presumably reflects comparative migratory performance. Stresemann’s use of the wing- tip length (longest secondary to longest primary in the closed wing), however 23 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] was not critical because he excluded the small birds of Japan which at that time he considered distinct from P. p. orientalis. Vaurie & Amadon (1962) compared wing-tip as a percentage of total wing-length (wing tip index), but computations from Stresemann’s figures do not support the clear-cut separation claimed. In Table 3, measurements of orientalis (gathered from the literature and from specimens in BMNRH) derive exclusively from examples collected in the Palaearctic; the sample is large. Measurements of raficollis were taken from specimens collected in the Indian subcontinent on nests and/ or between mid-May and late August. It is seen that by all criteria the Perak birds conform with orientalis. The Trang male has a long wing but a short wing tip (both absolutely and relatively) and is unidentifiable. The occurrence of P. p. ruficollis in the Malay Peninsula therefore remains unconfirmed, despite the fact that Vaurie & Amadon (1962) identified a long series of winter birds from Java and most of their measurements fall within the limits shown in Table 3. TABLE 3 Measurements (mm) of Crested Honey Buzzards Pernis ptilorhyncus Locality Number Wing- Wing-tip Wing tip Date Collection or Sex length index references P. p. orientalis Palaearctic 363 410-476 100-161 24-38 See text See text Palaearctic QQ 410-so1 100-172 23-36 See text See text Trang 3 433 85 20 4 Jan Stresemann (1940) & BMNH Perak 3 414 105 25 7 Dec Stresemann (1940) Perak fe) 440 104 24 7 Dec Stresemann | (1940) P. p. rupicollis India 53S 363-403 80-121 21-31 May-Aug BMNH India 922 326-419 72-140 19-34 May-Aug BMNH Philippine Banded Crake Ral/ina eurizonoides Ripley (1961) and Ali & Ripley (1969a) recognised a single South and Southeast Asian continental subspecies under the name A. e. amauroptera (Jerdon), type locality “Northern India”, including in its synonymy Ra//us superciliaris Eyton, type locality ‘‘Malacca’. Deignan (1963), however, recognised two sub-species in Thailand: BR. e. amauroptera and, south of the Isthmus of Kra, RK. e. te/matophila Hume, type locality “‘a few miles inland from Malacca”. Comparative measurements (Table 4) do not support this distinction, but they do separate the breeding birds of the Indian subconti- nent. According to Ali & Ripley (19692) wing-lengths of R. e. amauroptera of the subcontinent fall within the range 122-132 mm. Measurements of material in BMNH show slightly greater variation but, excluding three northeastern skins bracketed in Table 4, they still show very little overlap with available specimens from all parts of Southeast Asia. Deignan’s (1963: 30) specific mention of Trang only, which ignored other records from the Peninsular provinces of Thailand certainly known to him (see Riley 1938: 78-79), implies that he considered the male collected near the base of Khao Nam Pliu on 9 March (Riley 1938; USNM) to have repre- sented a resident Peninsular population, the others migrants. However, this date is six weeks earlier than the latest interception of spring migrants at Fraser’s Hill, Malaysia (Wells 1972; Medway & Wells 1976: 129) and is by : [Bull, B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] 24 no means proof that the bird was in its breeding area. There are no dated specimens or other records from any part of the Malay Peninsula between 17 April and 30 October (BMNH-—a date overlooked in the text of Medway & Wells 1976), and thus no evidence of a resident population. Since this rail does not occur in the Palaearctic region (Vaurie 1965), the breeding grounds of the Peninsular population can only lie in more northerly parts of Southeast Asia. Long-winged birds comparable in size to the Peninsular sample and exceeding the limits of amauroptera have been taken in Burma north to the Shan States and in northern and southern Thailand, in Laos and central Vietnam (Table 4). There is adequate evidence of migratory behaviour at least in the west of this area: the bird from Doi Angka (USNM 472372), taken at 4,500 ft, was almost certainly on passage at that altitude; that from Thaunggyi (BMNH 1928.9.18.3) is labelled ‘‘On migration”; and one from Theyetmyo was said by Oates (1883) to have flown into a house verandah. The February record from Bhutan (BMNH 97.12.10.1850) may indicate extension into the eastern Himalayas, but amauroptera has been reported nesting in the outer Himalayas (Ali & Ripley 1969a) and this bird, together with the specimen collected in Bengal in January (BMNH 97.12.10. 1851) and the undated skin from Nepal are all likely to be wintering migrants. TABLE 4 Measurements (mm) of Philippine Banded Crakes Rallina eurizonoides Locality ° Number Wing- Date Collection or . . Sex length reference A. e. amauroptera Assam, Sikkim, 24 120-135 (Assam: BMNH? India & Ceylon Jun, July) Bhutan oO 145 Feb BMNH Nepal fe) 141 — BMNH Barrackpore, Bengal o 141 Jan BMNH Thaunggyi, Burma oo 143 4 May BMNH Theyetmyo, Burma oo 142 6 May BMNH Theyetmyo, Burma oo 140 — BMNH Ok Yam, Laos o 141 3 Jan BMNH Quang Tri, Vietnam o 145 —- Delacour & Jabouille (1931) Thua Luu, Vietnam o 136 15 Feb BMNH Doi Angka, north 2 138? 14 Apr USNM Thailand Ban Tha San, south o 137 28 Mar BMNH Thailand Malay Peninsula 1292 134-143 30OQOct-17 Apr Robinson & Kloss | (1919b), Riley (1938), Medway & Wells (1970), Wells 8 (1972); BMNH, ZDU Malay Peninsula 80 134-151 undated BMNH Notes: 1The only examples from the Indian subcontinent ins BMNH which have wings exceeding this range are the three bracketed together. *Kindly measured by Dr. R. L. Zusi. Chinese Crested Tern Sterna zimmermanni The Chinese Crested Tern was listed under this name (p. 165), now superseded by S. bernsteini Schlegel (Mees, in press). 25 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96()] Jambu Fruit Dove Prilinopus jambu | Evidence was given (p. 169-70) that birds cross the sea on nocturnal flights. The extent of dispersal has since been demonstrated by the recovery of a Malaysian-ringed bird in mid Sumatra (Wells 1975). Himalayan Cuckoo Cuculus saturatus The grounds for transferring the taxon /epidus from Cuculus poliocephalus to C. saturatus have been explained by Becking (1975) and Wells & Becking | (1975). Drongo Cuckoo Surniculus lugubris Robinson (1928: 249) claimed that a young Drongo Cuckoo was found in the nest of the Chestnut-crowned Flycatcher Warbler Secercus castaniceps at Fraser’s Hill, a hill station generally above 3500 ft elevation. The male foster parent was collected and is not in question; there are however good reasons for rejecting the identification of the cuckoo. The host warbler has not been | recorded in the Malay Peninsula below 2700 ft (p. 326), while the Drongo _ Cuckoo—except on migration—has not been found above this height (p. _ 187). Evidently the normal altitudinal ranges of warbler and cuckoo are _ exclusive. Neither in the Malay Peninsula nor elsewhere (Hoogerwerf 1949, | Smythies 1953, Ali & Ripley 1969b) do known broodhosts of the Drongo Cuckoo include warblers of the genus Sezcercus. S. castaniceps moreover is now _ recognised as the regular local foster of the Himalayan Cuckoo which is | montane in distribution in the Malay Peninsula, occurs at Fraser’s Hill and was presumably the species involved on this occasion. Lesser Coucal Centropus bengalensis _ Deignan (1963) followed Grant & Mackworth-Praed (1939) who united in _ one species the Lesser Coucals of Asia, Africa and Madagascar, for which _ the name /ou/ou has priority. However Parkes (1957) noted that Asian and _ African forms are more similar to each other than either is to Malagasy birds, _ and Benson ef a/. (1970) drew attention to differences in habitat and voice separating African and Malagasy birds. From field experience in both regions, _ D.R.W. can confirm that the calls and preferred habitat of African and Asian birds are similar. It thus appears correct to separate the Malagasy population (C. toulou) from the remainder, for which the prior specific name is bengalensis. Javan Frogmouth Batrachostomus javensis Additional measurements (TNC; living birds) not available to Stresemann _ (1937) have shown that there is no gap in size between the apparently | parapatric taxa affnis and continentalis, and they are accordingly treated as conspecific (p. 200). The allocation of both taxa to B. javensis forces the re- moval from this species of cornutus, which is sympatric with affnis in the lowlands of Sumatra and Borneo. That cornutus, with /ongicaudatus of the Kangean islands (Java Sea), may constitute a separate mid-Sundaic species | is indicated on morphological grounds. Swiftlets _ Brooke (1970) proposed the subgenus Hydrochous for the Giant Swiftlet, _ and later (Brooke 1972a) separated the swiftlets into three full genera. The ' evidence of the capacity to echolocate, or lack of it, supports this arrange- _ ment (Medway & Pye, in prep.). Among Peninsular swiftlets, only the [ Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] 26 species esculenta remains in the genus Collocalia (of which it is the type). The revised nomenclature of the remainder is as follows: Giant Swiftlet Hydrochous gigas Edible-nest Swiftlet Aerodramus fuciphagus Black-nest Swiftlet Aerodramus maximus Himalayan Swiftlet Aerodramus brevirostris White-throated Spinetail Swift Chaetura caudacuta From Java, Mees (1971) has reported one specimen of the eastern Palae- arctic C’. ¢. caudacuta (collected on 14 Nov.) and two of C. ¢. nudipes (both 26 Dec.). Both subspecies evidently may be expected to occur on passage in the Malay Peninsula, where no examples have yet been collected. The normal wintering grounds of C. ¢. caudacuta are in Australasia (Condon 1975). The collection date of wudipes is a full month after the latest observation of the species in the Peninsula and supports the suggestion of Bartels & Stresemann (1929) that nadipes may winter in Java. Asian Palm Swift Cypsiurus balasiensis We have accepted Brooke’s (1972b) argument that African and Asian palm swifts are separate species, although Ledger (1971) has found on both the feather louse Dennyus cypsiurus, and feather lice are normally extremely host- specific. The correct spelling of the name ba/asiensis has been investigated by Medway (in press). Cinnamon-rumped Trogon Hlarpactes orrhophaeus A female from Surat Thani (USNM 330231) identified with some reser- vation by Riley (1938: 166) has proved on re-examination to be an immatute Red-rumped Trogon H. duvaucelii. This was presumably noticed by Deignan who did not list 7. orrhophaeus from Thailand (Deignan 1963). Red-headed Trogon Harpactes erythrocephalus As briefly noted (p. 214), a male and two females collected on Khao Luang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, in May 1965 by Ben King provided the first records of this trogon from the Thai provinces of the Malay Peninsula. These were identified as H. e¢. chaseni (type locality in the Malaysian Main Range) after compatison also with specimens of the neighbouring subspecies Hi. e. erythrocephalus, LH. e. annamensis and H. e. klossi in BMNH and ZDUS. Measurements are not diagnostic. Previous authors (Robinson 1915a; Robinson & Kloss 19194; Riley 1934; Schauensee 1934) based distinctions on the shade of the upperparts and/or barring of the wing-coverts. The Khao Luang birds are darker above than examples of k/ossi and erythrocephalus in ZDUS, but comparison of BMNH material including both sexes of all four subspecies showed no convincing differences in these characters; it is assumed that long exposure to heat and high ambient humidity has affected the coloration of Singapore specimens. Final identification was based on the male (USNM 534644) in which the vinaceous shade of the head and breast, distinct from the red of the underparts, closely matches a series of H. e. chaseni. Male annamensis are not dissimilar, but the geographic lly interposed subspecies A/ossi has the head much brighter red, concolorous with the underparts, and H. e. erythrocephalus of peninsular Burma is intermediate in this respect. 27 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] Pied Hornbill Anthracoceros coronatus As noted (p. 229), differences in the tail pattern among Pied Hornbills of the southern portion of the Malay Peninsula are attributable to individual variation and do not support a separation into two species. We have recog- nised as the boundary between subspecies the line along which the purported species were claimed to meet (Deignan 1963), north and west of which there is no variability in tail pattern. South and east of this line, some birds have the four outer pairs of rectrices all white, as does the type of convexus (Tem- minck & Lauguier 1838: pl. 530), while others have varying amounts of black on the basal parts of these feathers, often highly irregularly and asymmetrically distributed. Robinson (1927: 104) suggested that the black pigmentation in these feathers is a juvenile character in this population. However, while it is true that of seven specimens from Peninsular Malaysia in BMNH, only the three with the largest casques (denoting old age) have all white outer rectrices, the sample with black basal pigmentation includes / undoubted adults as well as immature birds. It is possible that the elimination _ of black from these feathers is progressive throughout a bird’s life, and | finally complete at an extreme age, but there is certainly no special juvenile _ plumage involved. Since examples occur also in Java (AMNH 645095 ; kindly | examined, with other specimens, for us by Dr. L. L. Short), variability in _ tail pattern is evidently a character of the subspecies convexus (type locality | Java). However, our data are insufficient to test for clinal variation in the | frequency of occurrence of black in the outer rectrices; should the southern | Peninsular population prove separable, the name intermedius Blyth (1847) appears to be available. | Rufous Woodpecker Micropternus brachyurus Short (1973) submerged Microprernus into the otherwise neotropical genus Celeus, of which he considers brachyurus a typical member (pers. comm.). _ Orange-backed Woodpecker Chrysocolaptes validus Short (1973) has allocated this species to a monotypic Sundaic genus | Reinwardtipicus Bonapatte. _ Green Broadbill Calyptomena viridis Robinson & Kloss (1923a) demonstrated a cline of increasing average size _ from south to north among the Green Broadbills of the Malay Peninsula and distinguished their new subspecies continentis (type locality Chumphon province) from viridis (type locality Benkulen, Sumatra) solely by its longer wing. Subsequent collection has provided larger samples, reducing the overall metrical difference, and successive authors (Robinson & Kloss 19234; | Chasen 1935; Riley 1938; Gibson-Hill 1949; Deignan 1963) have differed in _ their positioning of the boundary between these subspecies. Measurements available to us (Table 5) show that the range of variation in wing-length of _ birds from the extreme south of the Peninsula is smaller than elsewhere and falls largely within the zone of overlap between viridis and continentis. The abrupt disappearance of long-winged birds between Negri Sembilan (where some measure 110 mm) and Malacca may prove spurious, but present data justify tentative taxonomic separation of the population of these southern states (p. 251). [Bull, B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] 28 TABLE 5 Measurements (mm) of Green Broadbills Calyptomena viridis Locality Number Wing- Collection or Sex length reference C. v. continentis Chumphon O(typey > *rrz Robinson & Kloss (1923a) ~ Chumphon . 3 (type) 106 Robinson & Kloss (19234) Ranong & Chumphon 8 100-112. Robinson & Kloss (1919b, south of Phuket (av. 107) 1921) All Thai provinces 13 99-112. Robinson & Kloss (1923a) of Malay Peninsula ' Pahang, Selangor & 77 96-112 Mist-netted birds, 1961-72 Negti Sembilan (av. 103) Malacca, Johote & 15 97-104 BMNH? Singapore (av. 100) C. v. viridis Sumatra 5 93-103 BMNH Note: ‘4Excluding 19th century trade skins, recognised by their labelling and cylindrical shape. Dusky Crag Martin Hirundo concolor Since completion of our text, Holmes & Wells (1975) and Wells (1975) have reported first records of this species from the Malay Peninsula on islets off Phangnga, at Ao Luk, Krabi province, and near Gopeng, Perak state. Sub- sequently, small groups were seen near Kuala Kangsar, Perak, in September and at Batu Caves, Selangor, in February, March and September 1975 (D.R.W.), establishing a new geographical limit inthe Peninsula and extending the known range of the Dusky Crag Martin in Southeast Asia south by 1300 km. The local status of the species is not yet clear; in India it is sedentary (Ali & Ripley 1972). House Martin Delichon urbica dasypus Flocks of House Martins were seen by D.R.W. near Bukit Tinggi, Padang Highlands, Sumatra, on 6 March 1974, adding this island to the known wintering range in Southeast Asia (p. 259). Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike Coracina novachollandiae A male, said by Riley (1938: 277) to have been collected by H. M. Smith in Nakhon Si Thammarat province on 11 March 1929, was actually taken in eastern Thailand, possibly on the Korat plateau (see Riley’s account of Smith’s collecting trips). The discrepancy was evidently noted by Deignan (1963) who did not list the species south of the Isthmus of Kra. Slender-billed Crow Corvus enca Specimens from Kedah and the Yala-Pattani border reported by Bonhote (1901) are in fact Large-billed Crows Corvus macrorhynchos, with character- istically arched mandibles and heavy beaks, 21 and 22 mm deep, respectively, at the anterior margin of the nostril (CMZ). The erroneous identification has not been repeated in the regional literature, but we have not seen it formally corrected. Red-winged Shrike Babbler Preruthius flaviscapis Chasen (1935) allocated all Peninsular populations to the subspecies aerulatus (type locality Tenasserim), noting that “some specimens” from the Malaysian states were intergrades with cameranoi (type locality Sumatra). 29 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] Subsequently Deignan (1946) separated the population of the Surat Thani- Nakhon Si Thammarat mountains, under the name schauenseei, and assigned Malaysian birds to cameranoi (Deignan 1964). TABLE 6 Measurements (mm) of Red-winged Shrike Babblers Preruthius flaviscapis Locality Number Wing- Collection or e» Sex length reference P. f. schauenseei Surat-Nakhon >8 3g 3} 66-77 Deignan (1946), BMNH, mountains USNM, ZDUS Surat-Nakhon G9! 69-75 Deignan (1946), BMNH, mountains USNM, ZDUS P. f. cameranoi Sumatra 633 73-78 BMNH, RNH Sumatra rae 72-78 BMNH, RNH Peninsular Malaysia 1636 75-81 BMNH, ZDUS Peninsular Malaysia 8O¢ 75-78 BMNH, ZDUS Note: !Deignan (1946) did not list the number of specimens he measured. Peninsular Malaysian birds are distinctly darker coloured and also larger in size than P. f. schauenseei (Table 6). They are also distinguishable from Sumatran birds by small but appreciable colour differences, Malaysian males being slightly lighter underneath and slightly less pink on the flanks and females slightly less warm buff on the lower breast and abdomen. In wing length, however, our samples showed 50% overlap between males and 87% between females. Clearly, birds of the Peninsular Malaysian mountains are closer to those of Sumatra than to those of the Peninsular provinces of Thailand, and formal separation under another name would obscure this affinity. Lesser Shortwing Brachypteryx leucophrys In all collections from the Surat Thani-Nakhon Si Thammarat mountains (Robinson 1915b; Robinson & Kloss 1923b; coll. B. King 1965, USNM) the males are hen-plumaged. This population was considered indistinguishable from B. /. leucophrys (type locality Java) and listed under that name by Robin- son (1928) and Chasen (1935) but, presumably on geographical gounds, was transferred to B. /. wrayi (type locality Malaysian mountains) by Deignan (1963). While the males of at least one extralimital form are dimorphic, existing in both blue and brown phases (Ali & Ripley 1973), in our experience of Peninsular Malaysian wray7 all males are invariably at least partly blue, even among the populations of outlying peaks where selection for sexual di- morphism might conceivably be reduced. Malaysian birds are also on average slightly smaller than examples from Peninsular Thailand (Table 7). Javan birds do not differ in size from the Thai sample and some can be exactly matched in colour. But among 26 males from West Java (RNH), 11 have slate-blue lores, with a variable spread of this colour along the upper edge of the supercilium, round the eye to the ear-coverts and sides of the throat and face (an extreme condition present only in RNH 67017); some also have the pectoral band distinctly slaty. The progressive extension of blue colour is assumed to develop with age. Birds with blue in the plumage are also distinguished by the comparative whiteness (rather than rusty buff) of throat [Bull. B.O.C. 7976: 96(1)| 30 and abdomen and the prominence of the white supercilium. Precisely similar differences in ventral colour and the conspicuousness of the supercilium are apparent between fresh males from Khao Luang (USNM 535052 and —54); yet the presumably older male has no trace of blue on the head or breast. These Thai birds are clearly distinct from B. /. wrayi. Yet our attribution to B. /. leucophrys (p. 314), while following precedent, is no more than a provisional expedient. Their true affinity seems likely to be with more northerly populations. It is significant that among Burmese males (identified as B./. nipalensis) “the blue phase is rare (if indeed it occurs at all)” (Smythies 1953: 107), and the male B. /. caro/inae in northern Thailand “‘seems never to acquire a slate-blue plumage” (Deignan 1945: 407). TABLE 7 Measurements (mm) of Lesser Shortwings Brachypteryx leucophrys Locality Number, Sex Wing-length Collection B. 1. wrayi Peninsular Malaysia 11g3 58-63 ZDUM, ZDUS Peninsular Malaysia 5¢Q 55-60 ZDUM, ZDUS B. 1. leucophrys West Java 2635 60-65 RNH Surat-Nakhon ~ 63d 61-64 USNM, ZDUS mountains Surat-Nakhon 429 58-62 USNM, ZDUS mountains Chestnut-crowned Flycatcher Warbler Seicercus castaniceps Of eight birds collected by Ben King on Khao Luang peak, Nakhon Si Thammarat, in April-May 1965, three match the description of adult S. ¢. youngi (Robinson 1928: 247-248). The other five are in a different plumage, presumably juvenile, which was not described by us (1976), namely: white eye-ring and wing and tail coloration as adult; mesial crown stripe and supercilium dull olive-orange, separated by blackish lateral crown-stripes; back, chin, throat, breast and flanks grey, faintly washed olive-yellow; vent, thighs and under tail-coverts bright yellow; iris dark brown; upper mandible dark brown, lower yellow or dull orange. The bird illustrated by Grénvold (Robinson 1928: pl. 20) in fact is similar, although not described in the text; it was collected on Khao Luang in March. It is notable that the juvenile S. ¢. youngi, with yellow in the plumage of the underparts, resembles J. c¢. butleri more closely than does the adult. White-throated Flycatcher Warbler Abroscopus superciliaris Deignan (19474, 1963) misplaced the type locality of A. s. bambusarum, Khao Phanom Bencha, which is in Krabi province. Arctic Leaf Warbler Phylloscopus borealis Vaurie (1954) showed that Parkes & Amadon (1948) and, following them, Gibson-Hill (1950) were not justified in attributing short-winged birds wintering in parts of Southeast Asia (including the Malay Peninsula) to P. b. kennicotti. Separation is possible by the length of the bill, but we are aware of no authentic identifications of kennicotti from the Peninsula and accordingly have omitted this subspecies (p. 328). 31 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)| White-fronted Flycatcher Ficedula hyperythra Deignan’s (1947b, 1963) broad concept of the genus Muscicapa has not been universally accepted, and we are not alone in partially rejecting it (e.g. Vaurie 1965; King, Woodcock & Dickinson 1975). There is one nomenclatural consequence of our arrangement. Within the genus Ficedula as we recognise it, the name ma/ayana Ogilvie-Grant, which was used for the Peninsular population of the White-fronted Flycatcher by Chasen (1935) and Gibson-Hill (1949), is a junior homonym of F. so/taris malayana Sharpe. Under Deignan’s (1947b) scheme the synonym (Dendrobiastes hyperythrus) sumatranus Hachisuka was not available, being preoccupied by N//tava sumatrana Salvadori; accordingly he provided a new name, o/iga Deignan. Since we believe that the distinctions are sufficiently marked to justify retention of the genus Né/fava (including the Malaysian Niltava NV. sumatrana) the problem of homonymy no longer arises and Hachisuka’s name thus becomes available in priority to Deignan’s (p. 347). Blue-throated Flycatcher Cyornis rubeculoides A specimen taken in Kelantan on 28 August (Bonhote 1901, CMZ) proved on re-examination to be an adult male Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher Cyornis | tickelliae. Although the misidentification has not passed into the regional literature, we take this opportunity to correct it as it precedes by a month the known first date of autumn arrival. Hill Blue Flycatcher Cyornis banyumas ! A blue flycatcher (USNM 170508) taken on Singapore island tentatively identified by Riley (1938: 451) as Cyornis whitei caeruleifrons (—C. b. coerulifrons) proved on re-examination to be an adult male Mangrove Blue Flycatcher Cyornis rufigastra. Again, the misidentification has not passed into the regional literature, but still requires correction. — Black-collared Starling Sturnus nigricollis This starling has recently been added to the Peninsular list with records _ from Surat Thani and Phangnga provinces in February and October 1974 (Holmes & Wells 1975). _ Black-throated Sunbird Adethopyga saturata One of each sex was collected by Ben King on Khao Luang in May 1965 (providing the first records for Nakhon Si Thammarat—p. 377), but un- _ fortunately the specimens are inadequate for subspecific identification. The _ male is at an early stage of post-juvenile moult, and although the female _ matches some specimens of A. s. anoma/a racial differences are slight in this i sex. Yellow-backed Sunbird Aethopyga siparaja A specimen from inland Kelantan (Bonhote 1901, CMZ) proved on re- _ examination to be a male Scarlet Sunbird Aeshopyga mystacalis in post-juvenile moult, and thus does not invalidate our observation (p. 378) that in the _ Malaysian states the Yellow-backed Sunbird is confined to the coastal strip | and islands. [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)| 32 Fire-breasted Flowerpecker Dicaeum ignipectus Robinson (1928: 278) doubted the records published by Bonhote (1901) from the lowlands of Phatthalung and Kelantan (cf. Gibson-Hill 1949). On re-examination the specimens proved to be juvenile or female Orange- bellied Flowerpeckers Dicaeum trigonostigma (CMZ). Although finding no other basis for Deignan’s (1963) inclusion of Phatthalung in the range of the Fire-breasted Flowerpecker, we have retained the record (p. 386). Examples have been collected on the Trang side of the dividing range (Riley 1938: 514) and the species can hardly be absent from Phatthalung. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The taxonomic content of this paper would not have been possible without access to study material via numerous loans from the museums listed in the introduction. We are indebted to the staff of these various institutions for their willing co-operation, and particu- larly to Mr. C. W. Benson and Drs. F. B, Gill, G. F. Mees, L. L. Short, S$. Somadikarta and R. L. Zusi who at various times examined specimens or provided other data on our behalf. References: Ali, S. & Ripley, S$. D. 1969a. Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan. Vol. 2; 1969b, Vol. 3; 1972, Vol. 5; 1973, Vol. 8. Bombay: Oxford University Press. Bartels, M. & Stresemann, E. 1929. Systematische tibersicht der bisher von Java nach- gewiesenen vogel. Treubia 11: 89-146. Becking, J. H. 1975. New evidence for the specific affinity of Cuculus lepidus Miller. Ibis Ley 2955204. Benson, C. W., Brooke, R. K., Dowsett, R. J. & Stuart Irwin, M. P. 1970. Notes on the birds of Zambia: Part V. Arnoldia 4: 1-59. Blyth, E. 1847. Supplementary report (Bucerotidae). J. Asiatic Soc. Bengal 16: 992-1001. Bonhote, J. L. 1901. On birds collected during the “Skeat Expedition’? to the Malay Peninsula, 1899-1900. Proc. zool. Soc. Lond.: 57-81. Brooke, R. K. 1970. Taxonomic and evolutionary notes on the subfamilies, tribes, genera and subgenera of swifts (Aves: Apodidae). Durban Mus. Novit. 9: 13-24. — 1972a. Generic limits in old world Apodidae and Hirundinidae. Bul/. Br. Orn. C7. 92: 52-57 — 1972b. Geographical variation in palm swifts Cypsiurus spp. (Aves: Apodidae). Durban Mus. Novit. 9: 217-231. ) Chasen, F. N. 1935. A handlist of Malaysian birds. Bull. Raffles Mus, 11: i-xx, 1-389. Condon, H. T. 1975. Checklist of the Birds of Australia, Part 1, Non-passerines. Melbourne: Royal Australasian Ornithologists’ Union. Deignan, H. G. 1946. New subspecies of birds from peninsular Siam. J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 6: 428. ~- Wen The races of the White-throated Flycatcher Warbler (Abroscopus superciliaris (Blyth)). Proc. biol. Soc. Wash. 60: 19-26. — 1947b. Some untenable names in the Old World flycatchers. Proc. biol. Soc. Wash. 60: 165-168. — 1963. Checklist of the birds of Thailand. Bull. U.S. natn. Mus. 226: i-x, 1-263. — 1964. In Check-list of Birds of the World, Vol. 10. Cambridge, Mass.: Museum of Comparative Zoology. Delacour, J. & Jabouille, P. 1931. Les Oiseaux de I’Indochine Francaise. Paris: Exposition Coloniale Internationale 1931. Gibson-Hill, C. A. 1950. A note on the Alaska Willow-Warbler Phylloscopus borealis (Blasius) in the Malay Peninsula. Bu//. Raffles Mus. 23: 77-81. — 1956. Notices of four birds new to, or rare in, the Malay Peninsula. Bull. Raffles Mus. 27: 180-186. Grant, C. H. B. & Mackworth-Praed, C. W. 1939. Some notes on eastern African birds. Bull. Br. Orn. Cl. §9: 50-53. Gyldenstolpe, N. 1916. Zoological results of the Swedish zoological expeditions to Siam 1911-1912 & 1914-1915. K. svenska Vetensk. Akad. Handl. 56: 1-161. Hoogerwerf, A. 1949. De : §. 6. Mackworth-Praed, C. W. & Grant, C. H. B. 1952. Birds of Eastern and North Eastern Africa, ‘2 AT1,-472- London. Nowak, E. 1975. Zur Systematik oe Gattung Streptopelia (Columbiformes, Aves). Bonner zool. Beitr. heft 1-3, 26: 135- Peters, J. L. 1937. Check-List of Birds of the World, 3: 93. Cambridge, Mass. Ridgway, R. 1912. Color Standards and Color Nomenclature. Washington. Roberts, A. 1932. Preliminary descriptions of sixty-six new forms of South African Birds. Amn. Transv. Mus. £5( ad) 24, 125. -— 1935. Scientific results of the Vernay—Lang Kalahari Expedition, March to September, 1930. Amn. Transv. Mus. 16 (1): 82, 83. [Bull, B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)| 38 S.A.O.S. List Committee. 1969. Check list of the Birds of South Africa: 103. Cape Town. Traylor, M. A. 1960. Notes on the birds of Angola, non-passeres, Pub. cult. Co. Diam. Ang. Lisboa, 51: 149. Verheyen, R. 1953. Exploration du Parc National de ’Upemba, Mission G. F. de Witte, fasc. 19: 298=300. White, C. M. N. 1965. A Revised Check List of African Non-Passerine Birds: 156, 157. Lusaka, Sympatric Cisticola spp. and the competition exclusion principle by W. B. J. Dean Received 20 December 1975 Although the atatslind warblers of Africa, C7sticola spp. are morphologically very similar, they differ in choice of habitat in most cases. However, in the ‘Transvaal, South Africa, five species of C7stico/a occur in open grassland (Bankenveld, or Cymbopogon-Themeda Veld—Acocks 1953). Although they can be found together, three of the species have distinct habitat preferences ; Cisticola juncidis occurs in moist grassland, C. brunnescens in short moist grassland, and C. aridu/a in dry grassland. The remaining two, C. ayresi and C.. textrix occur inshort dry grassland, and do not have obvious differences in habitat preference. Further, apart from distinctive displays of the breeding males, they are virtually impossible to distinguish in the field. These two species possibly represent an exception to the ecological principle of com- petitive exclusion. Measurements of culmen, wing and tarsus of museum specimens of C. ayresit and C. textrix were obtained for birds from the area of sympatry in the Transvaal and from areas of allopatry. The measurements were tested with a Students “‘t’’ test to show whether differences between the species and between sub-species were statistically significant, with the following results: (a) Males of C. ¢extrix are larger than males of C. ayresii in an area of sympatry (Table 1). The differences are consistent but never more than 12%. TABLE 1 Differences in culmen, wing and tarsus measurements (mm) of C. ¢exfrix major and C. ayresil. C. t. major C. ayresti mean S.D. *“n mean re apie Difference Males Culmen- 12°6 + 0°58 24 IT*T “=f “o°47y” £5 P<-oo!1 Wing $4°0 + I°49 26 49° + 1°46 15 P<-ooI Tarsus 20*'6" “a0 'O"97" “22 os Ss FO tras P<-oo1 Females Culmen 12:2 + 0:65 22 II°4 + 0°67 16 P<:oo1 Wing 49°6 + «1°18 a1 46°5 + 2:1 16 P<-:oor1 Tarsus 18-9 + 0°98 18 I7*I + o8 16 P<-oo1 Male C’.. ayresii tested against female C. textrix major: Culmen P<-oo1, Wing not significant, Tarsus P<-o2. (b) C. textrix major of the Transvaal is generally larger, statistically so in the case of wing measurements, than C. ¢. textrix of the Cape province (Table 2), but there is no significant difference in the culmen and wing sizes of C’. ayresiz from different parts of Southern Africa (Table 3). 39 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(1)] TABLE 2° Differences in culmen, wing and tarsus measurements (mm) of C. textrix textrix tested against C. textrix major. Males Females mean S.D. n Difference mean S.D. .i2 ,~ Difference Culmen 12*t + 0°66 12 P<-o02 11°'7 + 0°66 9g n.s. Wing Oe eS ae a eee, P<-oo1 47°70 + 1°58 9 P<-oo1 Tarsus 20°2 + t1°0 7 n.s. 19° c=. 102...6 n.s. n.s. = not significant . TABLE'3 Differences in culmen and wing measurements of C. ayresii collected in Rhodesia, Natal’ and the eastern Cape. Culmen Wings Males Females Males Females. mean S.D.n mean S.D. n mean S.D.n mean S.D.n Rhodesia I1°3+0°59 33 11°2+0°60 19 49°3+1°9 33 46°6+1'0- 19 Natal I1°5+0°44 8 49°4+0°8 8 E. Cape 11°7+0°68 26 I1°3+0°51 15 49°3+1°5 26 44°64+2°1- 15 Total including 11-4+0°53 82 I1°3+0°§1 50 49°2+1°4 82 45°91°7 50 Transvaal These mensural differences neither support nor give exception to the competitive exclusion principle, but the premises that morphological measurements reflect the ecology of a species must be accepted if inferences about competitive exclusion are to be made from such measurements. The latter may reflect gross differences in ecology, but are clumsy and do not show up subtle differences in structure, and indeed may mask differences between similar species. Further, there are no standards defining the degree of mensural difference which is sufficient to indicate lack of competition. The exclusion principle depends, at least partly, upon competition between species for limited resources. The limiting factors operating upon Cisticolas in the Transvaal grasslands may occur at times other than when the two species are observed together in the breeding season. In open grassland where the food supply may be super-abundant in the breeding season, neither food nor space may be a limiting factor then, though possibly so at another stage in the life cycle. Alternatively, the populations of the two species of C7sticola may somehow be being maintained at a low level so that _ they do not come into competition, as for example in sessile marine inverte- brates (Paine 1966) and for ungulate mammals (Wagner 1969). ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS For the loan of specimens and the opportunity to measure Cisticolas, I am grateful to the Directors of the following institutions: National Museums of Rhodesia, Salisbury and Bulawayo; Transvaal Museum; Durban Museum; East London Museum and the South African Museum. Dr. S. M. Hirst provided advice on statistical tests. I thank C. J. Vernon and I. A. W. Macdonald for advice and criticism of a draft of this note. References: yes J. H. P. 1953. Veld types of South Africa. Bot. Surv. Mem. 28. Pretoria: Govt. rinter. Paine, R. T. 1966. Food web complexity and species diversity. Amer. Nat. 100: 65-75. Wagner, F. H. 1969. Ecosystems concepts in fish and game management. Jn “The ecosystem bees a Natural Resource Management” (Ed. G. M. van Dyne). Academic Press, ew York, [Bull. B.O.C. 1976:°96(1)] 40 IN BRIEF (a) A Ringed Woodpecker Celeus torquatus in Colombia The Ringed Woodpecker Ce/eus torguatus has been recorded widely in low- land tropical South America east of the Andes but curiously from only one locality in Colombia (Meyer de Schauensee 1964, 1966): two females and a male at rio Guapaya at the eastern base of the Sierra Macarena, Meta (Blake 1962). On 19 July 1975, we found a female Ce/eus torquatus about six km north of Leticia, Amazonas, Colombia in mature “tierra firma” forest about two km from “La Carretera”. It was foraging 30 m above ground near the canopy on a main trunk of a living tree in an area where there had been some tree- felling in the past and 200 m from a man-made clearing in the forest. The bird was studied with a 20-power telescope for ten minutes by ourselves and eight other ornithologists. Several photographs were obtained by the second author; although not of good quality due to low light levels, the diagnostic features of black collar around the neck, the mainly chestnut tail, the tawny unmarked belly, the light rufous, crested head, the yellow bill, and the chestnut wings with dark spotting can all be discerned in the photo- graphs, distinguishing C. sorquatus from all other Celeus species. The lack of barring on the belly indicates that this individual belonged to the western race occidentalis. Although C. torquatus is : widely recorded east of the Andes, specimens are few in number and it is apparently rare throughout its range, Haverschmidt (1968) for instance reporting that it is one of the rarest woodpeckers in Surinam. Thus perhaps the gaps in the presently known range are a function of the general rarity of the species rather than indicative of a truly disjunctive distribution. References: Blake, E. R. 1962. Birds of the Sierra Macarena, eastern Colombia. Fieldiana (Zoology) 44; 69-112. Haverschmidt, F. 1968. Birds of Surinam. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd. Meyer de Schauensee, R. 1964. The birds of Colombia Narberth, Pennsylvania: Livingston. — 1966. The species of birds of South lee with their i Sled ee Narberth, Pennsylvania: Livingston. , J. V.“Remsen,- fre John S. Luther 6 December 1975 Don Roberson — (b) ty cyon Sas In Bull. Br. Orn. Cl. 94 (1974): 147 I proposed the name Halcyon ruficollaris for a kingfisher from Mangaia, southern Cook Islands. I am grateful to Murray D. Bruce for pointing out that this name is a homonym of A/yone ruficollaris Bankier 1841, Ann. ¢> Mag. Nat. Hist. 6: 394, from Port Essington, Northern Territory, Australia. The latter is now regarded as a subspecies or synonym of Halcyon sancta Vigors & Hozsfield. The following replacement name is therefore proposed for the Mangaia kingfisher: Halcyon mangaia nom. nov. 16 December 1975 D. T. Holyoak 7 aA, V4 cal ay 4 NOTICE TO CONTRIBUTORS Papers, whether by Club Members or by non-members, should be sent to the Editor, Dr. J. F. Monk, The Glebe Cottage, Goring, Reading RG8 9AP, and are accepted on the understanding that they are offered solely for publication in the Bulletin. They should be typed on one side of the paper, with double- spacing and a wide margin, and submitted in duplicate. Scientific nomenclature and the style and lay-out of papers and of Refer- ences should conform with usage in this or recent issues of the Bu//etin, unless a departure is explained and justified. Photographic illustrations although welcome can only be accepted if the contributor is willing to pay for their reproduction. 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MONK Volume 96 No. 2 June 1976 FORTHCOMING MEETINGS Tuesday, 20 July 1976 at 6.30 p.m. for 7 p.m. at the Goat Tavern, 3 Stafford Street, London, W.1. (between Old Bond Street and Dover Street, near Green Park tube station). Mr. Robert Gillmor will speak on Bird Illustration. Cheques for the cost of dinner (£2°25 a head) must be sent to the Hon. Secretary before the meeting. Tuesday, 21 September 1976 at 6.30 p.m. for 7 p.m. at the Senior Common Room, South Side, Imperial College, South Kensington (entrance Prince’s Gardens, S.W.7, off Exhi- bition Road and N. of Victoria and Albert Museum). Dr. M. P. Harris will speak on St. Kilda Puffins. Cheques for the cost of dinner (£2:95 a head) must be sent to the Hon. Secretary before the meeting. Tuesday, 16 November 1976. Dt. H. N. Southern will speak on the Tawny Owl at the Senior Common Room, South Side, Imperial College. Tuesday, 18 January 1977. Dr. Peter Ward will speak on Palaearctic migrants in Nigeria. Tuesday, 15 March 1977. Mr. J. M. Forshaw will speak on the ecology of parrots in Australia with emphasis on adaptations to changing envirqnments. COMMITTEE J. H. Elgood (Chairman) P. Hogg (Vice-Chairman) R. E. F. Peal (Hon. Secretary) M. St. J. Sugg (Hon. Treasurer) Dr. J. F. Monk ( Editor) Mrs. J. D. Bradley Dr. C. J. O. Harrison C. E. Wheeler Dr. G. Beven “Us de = 41 . Pag “© PBul B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] Bulletin of the re BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB Vol. 96 No. 2 Published: 18 June 1976 The six hundred and ninety-ninth meeting of the Club was held at the Goat Tavern, 3 Stafford Street, London, W.1 at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, 9 March 1976. Chairman: Mr. P. Hogg: present 10 members and 2 guests. Dr. C. J. O. Harrison spoke on eggs, drawing attention to a number of questions concerning birds’ eggs to which no satisfactory solutions had yet been discovered. He illustrated his talk with examples of various types of egg. The seven hundredth meeting of the Club was held at Imperial College, London, S.W.7 at 6.45 p.m. on Tuesday 4 May, 1976. Chairman: Professor J. H. Elgood, M.A., present 27 members and 16 guests. There was a symposium on African birds, opened by Mrs. B. P. Hall, who spoke on the remarkable richness of species in African thorn-bush scrub, contrasting it with the fewer species in similar habitat in Australia. She pointed out the very great degree of specialization of species in this (and other) habitats in Africa. Sir Hugh Elliott, Bt., 0.8.£., followed and explained that recent observations of Palaearctic migrants in southern Kenya (Jbis 118: 78-105) had opened a new viewpoint on migration in Africa. He compared the birds reported in that paper with those he had found in a study area to the west of Kilimanjaro 35 to 40 years ago. Mr. C. C. H. Elliott then spoke on the migration of quelea that breed around Fort Lamy in Chad and the reduction of the damage they do to crops in irrigated farmland obtained by advancing the harvesting of these crops to a time before the birds arrived. Mr. C. W. Benson, 0.8.£., discussed the avifauna of Madagascar. He supported the view that the Malagasy area forms a separate zoogeographical region, citing the presence of a number of species in Madagascar which are Asiatic or with Asiatic affinities and the surprisingly small association with the birds of the African continent. He also spoke on the degree of speciation in Madagascar. The addresses gave rise to interesting and wide-ranging discussions. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The eighty-fourth Annual General Meeting of the British Ornithologists’ Club was held at Imperial College, London, S.W.7 on Tuesday, 4 May 1976 at 5.45 p.m. with Professor J. H. Elgood, m.a., in the chair. Eleven members were present. The minutes of the eighty-third Annual General Meeting (Bu//. Brit. Orn. Cl. 95: 89-90) were approved and signed. Presenting the Report of the Committee for 1975, the Hon. Secretary stated that the comparatively small numbers attending meetings were a cause of continuing difficulty in obtaining a reasonably priced dinner: the Goat Tavern at a little over {2 per head was an exception in this respect but its capacity was not large, particularly if slides were to be shown. Prices could not be fixed far ahead because of inflation and at no place where the Club now met would the caterers undertake collection from members of the charge for dinner, which had now to be done by the Club. The Hon. Treasurer presented the Accounts for 1975. The larger receipts from sub- scriptions has resulted from the increased rates of subscription that came into effect for that year. Owing to changes in deeds of covenant, there had been no claim for recovery of income tax made in the last year but he had since rendered claims covering two years for a total of £185, of which £88 would have been receivable in 1975. He expressed the Club’s thanks to Mr. E. W. Mudge for his donation of £51. Membership continued to increase and there had already been 20 new members or Bulletin subscribers in the current year. The Chairman thanked the Hon. Treasurer for the considerable amount of work he continued to do for the Club, despite his move away from the Home Counties to Somerset last year. On the Chairman’s proposal, the Report of the Committee and Accounts for 1975 were received and adopted unanimously. There being no nominations additional to those of the Committee, the following were declared elected :— Hon. Treasurer: Mr. M. St. J. Sugg, M.A. (re-elected) Hon. Secretary: Mr. R. E. F. Peal (re-elected) Committee: Dr. G. Beven, M.D., vice Mr. J. H. R. Boswall, who retired by rotation. The Editor reported that the average interval between receipt of an acceptable paper and its publication in the Bulletin was about six months, which compared very favourably with most other ornithological journals of a similar standing. Sir Hugh Elliott reported that otdets for back-numbets were keeping up fairly well. Two numbers of Vol. 89, of which stocks had been exhausted, were reprinted in 1975. The meeting closed at 6.10 p.m. 42 96(2)] [Bull. B.O.C. 1976 96 .z62°7F ge.1$ ob. ¢zz Qz- IVI 36-3 o£ .7z6 99-L1 PE .9$z 06.z7$‘°1 LS.LS9 €£.698 d.F d= 7 ; Suisy, ‘. -O]),, igedony seas $89] JUDY ee suoljeu0gd ATPA pun, isnty, pun [esuey >HWOONT LISOddq] GNV LNAWLSHANT JUCUDAO’) jo sp99q FOPUN PoFIAOIII XBT, IWOSUT stvaX snoraosd JO; uyazjng JO Sates sToqisasqns soyZOSsy PUL SIAqUISIY : SNOILAIWOSaNS AWOONT ggize gbz Lil 6P 89 ¢z1 glv boz‘t 11$ £69 ies. 7 bL61 96.zezzF o£ .Ogz 00.01 z1-L9 oL.Lz o9.L¥ ov.zs oz. $1 £¢.08 $g.6PL‘1 df dF puns [v4eUay 04 safsuvs]. ** voneseidaq Jo~elorg a8vjsog pur smmiypusdxy snosuryaosiy e ° sosuodxy 93n}99'T os ¢L61 (Tevonrppy) 7461 —:soo,J Npny SBUTIOOJI FOF “999 “SOITION] WELLE jo voNNdIzsIq pur vORvoTTGng Jo 1sOD AUNLIGNAdxy ggize Str ol Ivi zL ce as PEPst - FL61 SL6l ‘WAAWHAOAG ISTE popue sok oy JoOJ TNNOOOV AUN.LIGNAdXaY GNV AWOONI 96(2)] [Bull. B.O.C. 1976 43 “SJUDJUNOIIE “OO 7 SLYHGOU “AAO IASUANOS “IIAOTA ‘AuosaNayy zL 9L61 “Yoav puz "YI M2704) DDULPIOIIE UT aq OF way? 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Vy jUNIIND—ANVG LV HSV) % bie ae se SuOLAAC] tz t XOPUT IBNUIIIS 24} JO Y0}s I 34} JO} popnypour useq sey onTvA ON on[eA [eUIWIONN—ayazjngq AO AOOLS a “3 - 5 na =% .s ‘+ yonepesdag :sse7 oF ob.z€ wOLIGAUy) $$ SS 4 “7 SOD 38 UOIIPpPY ool $1.o11 = "* slaquusyy WOIZ sUOTIZUOG OLl NaqxOg AGNV wOLos[oUug aN NILITINg og Fone wysey (ogF) 0g 6.950: == 2 yunos.y snypusdxy glz‘1 x * - 3G ey, tee 4 O£ .0gz ue WOU, WO Jojsuvyy, : Str os - “ S. ** 4805 -08 P WosuUy ot Palade fade a ail Ae 3e ‘zg/og61 ‘uvoT Arnsvory, % $g oo1F SLi Let iey".* "+ PL61 ‘taquiadeq ISIf We sy fh INSWISHANT GNQJ TVYINAD aNOJ IVYdINaI co d.F d.F ee vL61 bL61 -$L6l YAEWHOA 31e “LAHHS AONVIVA [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] 44 Remarks on the validity of Carpodacus roseus sachalinensis Portenko by M. Ralph Browning Received 15 December 1975 Pallas’ Rose Finch Carpodacus roseus (Pallas), 1776, (type locality—Uda and Selenga rivers, Transbaicalia) of south-central and southeastern Siberia is rare in collections and little has been written about it. The species occurs in summer as far north as the mountains of the middle fork of the Nizhnyaya Tunguska River, northeast to Yakutia, south to the Sayan Mountains near Lake Baikal, the Stanovoi Mountains in Amurland, and Sakhalin Island. In winter it is found south to western Siberia, northern China, Korea, and Japan (Beme 1954). Details concerning its breeding behaviour remain unknown. Although the species is now considered monomorphic (Paynter 1968), the population of Sakhalin Island and the Okhotsk littoral has been named C\. r. sachalinensis by Portenko (1960), on the basis of specimens collected outside the breeding months. A more detailed description of the race was published subsequently (Portenko 1962). The holotype of sachalinensis (ZIAS 61935), which I have examined, is an adult male collected on the shore of Nyisku Bay (52° N), eastern Sakhalia Island, on 29 August 1881. Portenko described the adult males of sachalinensis as darker than nominate roseus; first year males and adult females of sachalinensis were also said to be darker and to have more white on the belly with the streaks of the underparts broader and darker. The wing length (chord?) was said to be shorter than in nominate roseus, the mean for adult males being 90-7 mm (n=55) for the nominate race against 86-8 mm (n=3) for sachalinensis; whereas for females and immatures the means were said to be smaller than those of adult males and smaller in sachalinensis. Paynter (1968), even though he had not seen specimens, placed sachalinensis in synonymy with C. roseus, considering that the published characters of sachalinensis were insufficient to justify its recognition. However, I recently discovered several noticeably dark individuals among specimens of C. roseus in the U.S. National Museum of Natural History, suggesting that a more thorough investigation of Portenko’s race was warranted. Specimens were borrowed from eleven museums to compliment the series in the National Museum and a total of 129 specimens of C. roseus, including the holotype and part of the type series of C. r. sachalinensis, were examined, all of which were collected between late August and April, or outside the probable breeding period of the species. Examination confirms the fact that there is a dark population. Unfortunately, the holotype of sachalinensis does not appear to represent birds from the dark population, so that the name must be considered a synonym of C. roseus. The holotype of sachalinensis was compared with 45 other adult males of C. roseus. Although it is in fairly heavy moult (see later) I found that the back, rump, and underparts are similar in colour to specimens of nominate roseus collected in autumn, winter and spring. Critical comparison of individual body feathers of the specimens revealed that the intensity of the red coloration does not vary seasonally. Fourteen of the 45 adult males are noticeably darker than nominate roseus and the holotype of sachalinensis in the colour of the rump, crown, and underparts. The edges of the secondaries are white in the dark specimens, whereas in nominate roseus and the holotype of sachalinensis these edges are brownish. The paleness and the brownish edges of the A 96(z)] [Bull. B.O.C. 1976 45 ‘b-g uawynd pue g-L yidap ]IIq “9-9 YIprA []Iq ‘h.oz snsz¥} ‘o.z9 Ie} 0.63 SuIm—:aIam sssuauyyovs yo ad4y 3y} Jo (WwW) syUOWOINsvay LAZO 1£.0FF.g 0-6 -0-8 $1 gz-o+0.6 $.6 -9-g II 6£.0FL.g 1-6 —0.g ZI yrep Lv.oFl.g 9-6 -1-8 Li 88-OFF.6 I-1I-+.g Fr Lv¥.oFg-g 6.6 -g-L gI qed = uawyny 06.0F0.g +.g -6.L €1 0g-o+0.-8 $.g -$.L II Sh.oF7z.g b.g -b.L II ysep aaa 8z-OF0.g $.g -9-L $1 oz-oFL.L 1.g -S.L 6 O1-1-0-g $.g -S.L 44 ojed Wa P1-OF9-9 8-9 —£-9 FI z9-0oFo.-L €¢.L -£.9 Il Lz.0+F6.9 b.L —S$.9 ZI ysep 61-0+9-9 1.L —£.9 gi 9z-0F$.9 8-9 -0-9 6 bh.oFg-9 €.g -£.9 gi aed Bs 6¢b.oF £.0z 6.oz—$.61 b1 L9.07Fg-61 Q-O7-g- QI II oL.oF0.0z 9-1z7-0-61 ZI ysep 9$.0oF£.0z €¢.1z-b.61 gi 66.0FL.61 b.1z7-Z- gi 6 $g.0oF6.61 §.1z-L.g1 $1 aqed snssv 00.z-Fo.lg €.ol-9. £9 $1 99-7 $.b9 6.L9-g.6$ II 1£.z76.L9 L.ol-$.¥9 wii ysep gl.z 1-99 §.1L-1.6$ €z 1g-zL.£9 0. 69-0.09 6 o$ .z£.g9 ¢.1L-0.¥9 gi oyed LAS §L.z+z.gg L.b6-z.$g $1 z7$.1F1.$g 6.9g-g-18 II $L.1+7z.68 0.Z6-0.9g €1 yaep g6.1+g-.98 L.6g-0.z8 ¢z £9.z+L.9g +. 16-1. £8 F1 €L.€+9.6g €.oo1-$.¥g gl aed BUI ‘a's uray aBury u ‘a's Fury a3uv yy uU ‘C'S Fuevoyy asuvy U ynojo’) SajDue adnjDUdid] Sappuda,7 Sajvue 1jNpy ‘Tsou 94} JO 9Bpa JOIIa3UL 9Y3 WIZ sIv SJUDWINSKOW []Iq [TY “s#as04 SnsMpogav7D JO SIdeI BY) JO SyUSWAINSLI|L 1 Ia VL [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] 46 secondaries of the holotype of sachalinensis are well within the range of individual variation of specimens from western Siberia, which, according to Portenko are nominate roses. Contrary to Portenko, I found no significant differences in wing chord between pale and dark specimens (Table 1). The pallor of the holotype of sachalinensis might be attributed to the age of the skin, but the possibility of fading was carefully considered and was rejected for the following reasons. There are specimens from western Siberia of the same skin age that are darker than the holotype of sachalinensis. Also, there are specimens from the same series of nominate roseus that are paler than the holotype of sachalinensis although they were collected more recently. In the series of 14 dark males, the darkest specimens are not those most recently collected. Portenko reported that “sachalinensis” breeds on Sakhalin Island on the basis of nests and eggs collected by Gizenko (1955), but did not see them himself. They have been examined by Vorobiev (1973), who identified them as belonging to Uragus sibiricus, the Long-tailed Rose Finch. Portenko (1962) suggested that “‘sachalinensis” also breeds on the Shantar Islands in the Gulf of Udsk. However, an adult male (ZIAS 61921), collected on Great Shantar Island on 28 April 1926, presumedly examined by Portenko, is labelled as nominate roseus and is similar to other specimens of the pale population. Since the available specimens represent either transients or winter visitors, the breeding range of the population represented by the dark specimens is unknown. Although probable, it is also uncertain that the dark specimens are a product of geographic variation. According to Dr. V. A. Nechaev (fide A. I. Ivanov in Litt. to G. E. Watson) C. roseus may nest in the mountains of northern or central Sakhalin Island, and it is this population that possibly may have produced the dark specimens. This is further suggested by the fact that all the dark specimens collected as transients or winter visitors were from either Korea, Hokkaido, Japan, or Sakhalin Island. Moult in C. roseus takes place in early fall. The holotype of “‘sachalinensis” is in fairly heavy moult. All its rectrices are in sheaths except the two central ones, which are new. Also in sheath are many upper tail coverts, back, neck, and breast feathers, tertials, and most of the secondaries. The inner seven primaries on both wings are new. Sheaths are visible at the base of the fourth and seventh inner primaries of both wings. The inner eighth primaries are about half grown. Both of the ninth and tenth primaries are old. An adult male, however, collected in late September has all new flight feathers. An immature male collected in September and one immature male and three females taken in October have already completed moult in the flight feathers. Two specimens collected near Seoul, Korea, are unusual. One of these, an immature male collected in December, has all new rectrices which are about three-quarters grown except for the left rectrices numbers 3, 5 and 6. In the second and unsexed specimen, an immature or possibly an adult female, all the rectrices are new and half grown. These last two specimens are probably replacing feathers lost during some injury. None of the other specimens in the series of C. roseus examined in this study were in moult. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I express sincere gratitude for the loan of comparative specimens to the authorities of the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle (Paris), Natur-Museum und Forschungsinstitut (Frankfurt), Staatliches Museum fur Tierkunde (Dresden), Museum Heineanum (Halber- stadt), Universitat Hamburg, Universitetets Zoologiske Museum (Copenhagen), British Museum (Natural History, Tring), Royal Scottish Museum (Edinburgh), Museum_ of Vertebrate Zoology (Berkeley, California), and the California Academy of Sciences (San 47 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] Francisco). I wish especially to thank Prof. A. I. Ivanov of the Zoological Institute of the Academy of Sciences (ZIAS) in Leningrad for the loan of the holotype and other specimens used by Portenko, and to thank him and N. Litvinenko of the Far Eastern Science Centre at Vladivostok, E. G. F. Sauer, F. W. Merkel, and C. W. Benson for providing information about the species and locating specimens. R. C. Banks arranged for the loan of specimens in the United States. I am grateful to G. E. Watson who arranged for the loan of the other specimens and queried many more museums about specimens on my behalf as well as reading a late version of the manuscript; and to S. Olson and J. Farrand, Jr., who read an earlier draft and for their encouragement and many useful suggestions. References: Beme, L. B. 1954. Family Fringillidae, pp. 183-363. Jn G. P. Dementiev & N. A. Gladkov (eds.). Birds of the Soviet Union. Vol. 5. Moscow (English translation, Israel Prog. Sci. Translations). Gizenko, A. I. 1955. Birds of the Sakhalin Region. Moscow, Acad. Sci., U.S.S.R. (In Russian) Paynter, R. A., Jr. 1968. Subfamily Carduelinae, pp. 207-306. Jn R.A. Paynter, Jr. (ed.). Checklist of Birds of the World. Vol. 14. Mus. ‘Comp. Zool., Cambridge, Mass. Portenko, L. A. 1960. The Birds of the U.S.S.R. Part 4. Opredelieli po Faune S.S.S.R., Acad. Sw US.S.R., 69. (In Russian) Portenko, L. A. 1962. New subspecies of passerine birds (Aves, Passeriformes). Trudy Zool. Inst. Acad. Sci., U.S.S.R. 30: 385-394. (In Russian) Vorobiev, K. A. 1973. On some errors in ornithological studies. Zool. Journ. 52: 955- 957. (In Russian) Address: National Fish & Wildlife Laboratory, National Museum of Natural History, Washington D.C. 20560, U.S.A. On a variety of the Moorhen Gallinula chloropus from Northern England by Eric Gorton Received 10 December 1975 A male example of the Moorhen Ga/linula chloropus obtained at Bolton, Lancashire, which I examined first in the flesh, presented a number of remarkably symmetrical aberrant features of plumage. The legs and bill also Aberrant Moorhen (below) Gallinula chloropus from Northen England [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] 48 were particularly noticeable for their variation from the normal colouring. The specimen was extremely fat. It is now in the ornithological collections of the Bolton Museum, presented by Mr. P. Holden on 29 October 1973. The underparts differ markedly from the normal form. The flanks and thighs are of the normal leaden grey colour with white flashes at the side, but the chin, throat, neck, breast and belly are white with a grey tone on the belly and some slight grey edging to the feathers of the breast. However, the most remarkable feature is the absence of white on the under tail coverts, which are uniformly blackish. What is generally taken as the most important identification and display character of the Moorhen is thus entirely lacking. The upper parts also differ markedly from normal. The ground colour is a fairly neutral deep grey with only a slight tint of the olive brown of the back characteristic of the usual plumage. At each side of the mantle is a line of whitish feathers, forming an indistinct rough V, while the tertials are also whitish with a pale brown suffusion and dark grey edges and shaft lines. A striking feature of the fresh specimen was the abnormal colouring of the soft parts. Instead of greenish, the legs were of a fairly bright yellow (4A6-7 in Kornerup & Wanscher, “Methuen Handbook of Colour” 1963), the toes being of the same colour with dusky joints and claws. The bill was yellow at the base (4A6) with a tinge of red in the middle (8B7), while the tip was of a warm olive colour (3C7). There was no evidence of a red “‘garter’’ or of the normal red on the “shield” of the bill. The shield itself is smaller than usual. In view of the present interest in the bearing of aberrant examples on phylogenetics, the similarity of certain aspects of the present specimen to the immature plumage of the Coot Fulica atra and the adult of the White-breasted Waterhen Amaurornis phoenicurus should be noted. Address: Museum and Art Gallery, Civic Centre, Bolton, Lancs. Breeding records of Crex egregia, Myrmecocichla nigra and Cichladusa ruficauda from Angola. by W. R. J. Dean Received 20 December 1975 In view of the paucity of breeding data for the birds of Angola, the following breeding records are of interest. Crex: egregia African Crake An unidentified crake, accompanied by two downy young, was seen crossing the road near Quihita, 15° 24’ S, 14° 00’ E, on 2 May 1973, where the habitat was mostly tall, dry Hyparrhenia spp. grass c. 2 m high.One of the young was examined in the hand, and was subsequently identified as this species by Manfred Schmitt (pers. comm.) from the description I noted down at the time. This record extends the known distribution of the African Crake in Angola westward of previously known localities (Traylor 1963), and appears to be the first breeding record in Angola. Myrmecocichla nigra Black Chat A nest containing three young about two days old was found just south of Guilherme Capelo, Cabinda, 5° 13’ S, 12° 10’ E, on 21 August 1972. The nest was a cup of coarse grass lined with rootlets and was in a chamber at the end of a 30 cm tunnel sloping upwards at an angle of about 20° from the hori- zontal, in a sand bank. 49 [Bull, B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] On a journey by road from Carmona, 7° 36’ S, 15° 03’ E, to Mavoio, 6° 05’ S, 15° 02’ E, on 29 August 1973, several Black Chats were observed at nest holes in sand banks on the road verge. One such nest, at about 11 km south of Mavoio, contained two naked young in a cup of grass and rootlets, placed at the end of a horizontal tunnel 25 cm long. A Black Chat was seen carrying nest material to a nest excavated in the roof of an Ant-bear Orycteropus afer burrow at Cangandala National Park, Malanje, (at approximately 9° 47’ S, 16° 41’ E), on 28 August 1972. Traylor (1963) gives the breeding season of Black Chats in Angola as September to November, but evidently breeding in August may be regular. Cichladusa ruficauda Rufous-tailed Morning Warbler There are few breeding data of this common species. A pair were building the early stages of a nest on a small ledge in a limestone outcrop in the forest west of Carmona on 28 August 1973 (Dean 1974, Appendix II). Both birds used a series of perches as staging posts when covering the last 20 m from the source of the nest material (mud) to the nest. Two eggs taken from a deserted nest near Luanda, 8° 48’ S, 13° 14’ E, on 12 May 1973 are pale greenish white, freckled with pinky marks, the markings heavier and tending towards blotches on the obtuse end of the egg. The eggs measure 23:7 X 16-2 and 24-1 X 16-5 mm. They were still fairly fresh. Chapin (1953) and Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1973) describe the eggs similarly, but give no measurements. Traylor (1963) gives one record of C. ruficauda breeding in Angola—a nest and young in January. The Instituto de Investigacao Cientifica de Angola has one egg of this species collected on 8 December 1965. Four males in the I.1.C.A. collection examined by me had gonads enlarging in August, October and November. Evidently the breeding season is prolonged, perhaps even longer than the period October to April given by Chapin (1953) for the Congo. I “te grateful to the Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University, for the opportunity to make these notes. References: Chapin, J. P. 1953. The birds of the Belgian Congo, 3. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. His. 75a. Dean, W. R. J. 1974. Breeding and distributional notes on some Angolan birds. Durban Mus. Novit. 10(8): 109-125. Mackworth-Praed, C. W. & Grant, C. H. B. 1973. Birds of West Central and Western Africa. Longmans London. Traylor, M. A. 1963. Check-list of Angolan birds. Publ. Cult. Comp. Diam. Ang. 61. Address: Barberspan Ornithological Research Station, P.O. Barberspan, S. Africa. Observations on Pel’s Fishing Owl Scotopelia peli by L. H. Brown Received 23 December 1975 Pel’s Fishing Owl Scotopelia peli is a widespread, but apparently uncommon and local riverine species of lowland tropical Africa, extending from eastern Cape Province north to Ethiopia and west to Senegal. Since little has been - written on this species, and since much published information seems highly misleading, this note summarises what has been learned of this owl in south- west Ethiopia in 1968-70 and in Botswana in 1971. The only other place in _which I have ever come across this owl (not recorded by me in 30 years residence in Kenya) was on the Obe river in the Niger flood plains between Agenebode and Illushi on 24 Feb 1945. Ill with malaria, I sent out my Hausa [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] 50 syce Momo, with two cartridges, to collect Hartlaub’s Duck Péeronetta hartlaubii. He returned with a Tiger Bittern Tzgriornis leucolopha and Pel’s Owl—as nice a right and left as any collector could have wished for. He had blown off the head of the owl completely at very close range; but its identity was confirmed by examining the rest of the body, notably by wing length. S. W. ETHIOPIA 1968-1970. The sonorous hoot of Pel’s Fishing Owl was first heard in 1968, but the bird was not seen. My brother, G. H. H. Brown, later confirmed that the call we had heard was of the owl, as one came and hooted in a tree close to his house in Omo Valley National Park in late 1968. In 1969, between 19 and 30 January, a pair of the owls was located just above the Park headquarters along the Mwi river; and safaris up river established that there was a pair about every 6-7 km of river. The Mwi river in this area in January is a clear stream flowing in a wide torrent bed of stones, grown with patches of Sesbania shrubs and tall reeds Saccharum sp. Along the permanent banks are patches of forest, principally Cat-claw Acacia A. campylacantha, but also huge fig trees Ficus (mallatocarpa ?) and broad leaved evergreens notably Tamarindus indica. These patches of forest were regular daytime haunts of the owls. The owls were hard to locate by day but at night could be heard calling up and down river. The call is distinctive and quite unmistakable but bears little relationship to published descriptions. Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1952), describe it as “a sort of snoring, humming sound, not unlike that made at times by leopards; also a hoot rising to a loud screech, ending in a terrifying wail”. Roberts (1972) is even more imaginative. Having described a “‘boo-hoo” and a crescendo staccato “kuu-ku-ku” (which bear some resemblance to calls described later), he states “at night this gives way to a weird screechy howl, which rises to a nerve-shattering crescendo, to peter out like the cry of a lost soul falling into a bottomless pit”. It appears more likely that these calls refer to the notes of Verreaux’s Eagle Owl Bubo Jacteus, and perhaps the mewing of the Pearl-spotted Owlet G/aucidium perlatum. They certainly bear no resemblance whatever to the normal contact calls of Pel’s Fishing Owl. This is a deep sonorous hoot, sometimes preceded and often followed by a low grunt “Hooommmmm-hut”, the hoot being audible at much greater range (up to 3 km on a still night) than the grunt. The sexes call in different tones, one tenor, the other deeper and more sonorous; without certain knowledge it is assumed that the male has the higher-pitched voice. The owls along the Mwi seldom called before 22.00 hrs., and not often before midnight; they were most vociferous between 03.00 and 05.00 hrs. These normal contact calls were quite different from the duets heard later in Botswana. Above the Omo Park headquarters at German Sefer, a pair ranged along the Mwi river for about 4 km at least. Their main daytime roost was about 14 km above the headquarters in two broad-leaved forest trees, sometimes in a grove of huge fig trees close to this clump. Once one, probably the male, was found roosting in figs only 4 km above Park headquarters. When roost- ing, they allowed approach to within 10 m before flying and were very conservative, invariably being found in the same area even after being repeat- edly disturbed. When disturbed by day they readily flew several hundred metres, and would perch on open branches of Acacia fortilis in full sunlight, without apparent discomfort. The owls were found in the same area again between 10 and 17 Feb 1970; but in March 1973 the forest trees which were their regular preferred roost had been lopped to hang up honey barrels, and 51 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] they were nowehere to be found in the neighbourhood, nor were they heard. Apparently the disturbance of their roost made them move some distance. _ Although stated by some authorities (e.g. Sparks & Soper 1970) to be largely diurnal, neither in Ethiopia nor in Botswana were they other than entirely nocturnal. They were never seen hunting by day, were normally not on the move before dark, and roosted by dawn. On two evenings, 18.15— 18.30 hrs, one was seen perched on a dead fig tree above a pool near the ‘roost, apparently having emerged to fish; but this was unusual. On most evenings, waiting till near dusk near the roost revealed no activity by the owls. As the valley of the Mwi river at that point was alive with buffalo, and as the river contained large crocodiles, observation was not continued after dark. The shallow pools of the river at this season were swarming with small Barbus and Tilapia, with some catfish C/arias; and the Barbus and Tilapia at least often spent minutes on the surface gulping air. The catfish may only have risen to the surface at night. Though it would thus have been easy to catch fish by day, the owls did not do so, though other fishing birds did. Pel’s Fishing Owl is apparently not adapted, or not so well adapted for silent flight as are typical mammal-eating nocturnal species. Vigorous wing- flapping, such as when leaving a perch, produces quite a loud sound. Pre- sumably, therefore, the hearing ability of fish in the water is not such as to detect the approach of a hunting owl. In Ethiopia, no evidence of breeding was detected in any month from January to March along the Mwi river. There are, in fact, no breeding records for Ethiopia, nor for East Africa (Urban & Brown 1970, East African Nat. Hist. Soc. nest record card scheme). Verreaux’s Eagle Owl breeds in Ethiopia from January to April, and also in June and July; it also is largely a riverine species, heard in the same locality as Pel’s Fishing Owl but feeding on different prey. Most large Ethiopian raptors breed in the main dry season October to April in north and northwest Ethiopia, but in southwest and southeast Ethiopia two rainfall peaks occur, with a less marked dry season June to September. No evidence was found by G. H. H. Brown either that Pel’s Owl breeds in this period. Although Pel’s Owl is quite common along the Mwi river and also along the main stream of the Omo in the same area, it was neither seen nor heard along the Godare river and tributaries within tropical forest in Illubabor Province at 800 m in February 1969 (Brown & Urban 1970). It may therefore be an inhabitant of riverine strips of woodland in savannas rather than of forest itself. BOTSWANA, JULY 1971. Smithers (1964) states that Pel’s Owl is only recorded from Sepopa and Seronga (one of which localities may be Txaquie —‘‘an island in a swamp”); but it is evidently quite widespread in the Okavango swamps as we also found traces of it (feathers) in the Moremi Game Reserve. When I was camped at Txaquie Island, about 160 km up the Boro river channel from Maun, deep inside the Okavango river swamps, at least one, possibly two pairs of Pel’s Fishing Owl] frequented the immediate vicinity of the camp site. One apparently lived mainly on Buffalo Island across the channel to the north, another about 1 km downstream; however they could have been the same birds. On occasion the Buffalo Island pair came to Txaquie, and performed protracted vocal duets, apparently a form of court- ship. [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] 52 The duetting was unlike the normal contact calls described for southwest Ethiopia and also heard at night at Txaquie. It lasted from 10-15 minutes and might occur several times in one night. The first was heard at about 01.30 on 10 July, continued for about ten minutes, and was uttered from a dead stub three metres above the water of the river. Earlier, the owls had been heard contact calling at moonrise. They were not at first disturbed by torchlight, but later left when I rose to watch them; they could evidently see me easily. However, this pair duetted again in brilliant moonlight at about 22.30 on 12 July, on a dead tree in the middle of Txaquie Island, in full view of five observers, for at least 15 minutes. They were not disturbed by torchlight, but turned to look at the light, revealing a red tapetum in the eye. They were filmed by D. Plage, using a light-intensifying device, and only fell silent when their own calls were played back to them on a tape recorder. They were perched too close together above each other to be certain which individual uttered a particular sound, and there was little size difference; however, one, presumed to be the male, had a higher pitched voice than the other. The duet begins with a series of low grunts “uh-uh-uhu”, etc. which gradually work up to a crescendo, and it ends in a loud tenor hoot ““Hooo- mmm’; the other responds with a deeper, more sonorous ‘““Hooommmm”’ followed by more grunts “uh-uhu-uh-uh’’, etc. Probably the bird initiating the duet is the male, with the tenor voice, the female responding. In torch- light we could see that the throat is inflated when uttering the sonorous “Hooommm’’. They took about five minutes of grunting to work up to the full duet, which then continued for about 15 minutes. They duetted again later in the night and also on 18 July and_later nights, though never again so close or so easily seen. The duets were uttered mainly during the moonlight. This behaviour is not unlike an uncommon duetting display of Verreaux’s Eagle Owl (Brown 1965) in which the pair sit opposite one another grunting and jerking the body; however, it is not accompanied by any obvious body movements in Pel’s Fishing Owl. Other large owls also duet, and in fact much calling by owls at night is duetting, in that male calls to female and is answered. Possibly such vigorous duetting may indicate the onset of the breeding season. Breeding is not recorded in Botswana (Smithers 1964); but in the Luangwa Valley, Zambia, it may occur in June (Benson & White 1957), which is early in the dry season and would support the likelihood that breeding might occur in August in Botswana. However, no additional information was obtained. I was unable to locate the daytime roost of the Txaquie pair by searching likely patches of forest on Buffalo Island, as done successfully on the Mwi river, but I located several well-used roost perches in forest patches there and one on Txaquie itself. They were marked by droppings and some could be confirmed by feathers. However, no bones were found under any of them; and neither here nor in Ethiopia were the regular perches marked by an accumulation of pellets, as happens with many owls. Under one perch on Txaquie I found an accumulation of bones, perhaps a disintegrated pellet of this owl; but it seems likely that fish bones are mainly digested. The bones from Txaquie were kindly identified for me by Mr. R. A. Jubb of the Albany Museum, Grahamstown. They included opercular bones of small cichlid fishes 10-12 cm long, and part of the dorsal spine and bony humeral process of a small S'ynodontzs or squeaker. These latter, a type of catfish, swim deep or among weeds by day but surface at night when they would be vulnerable to the owl. Cichlids too would move into shallows at : night to feed (Jubb 7 /i#t.). On several nights at Txaquie a splash was heard suggestive of a catch by the owls. Here too, however, there was no indication whatever that they were other than entirely nocturnal. They were never heard calling or seen on the move before dark, though they called more in Botswana than along the Mwi in Ethiopia; and were never seen at dawn, when we were frequently about ourselves. References: Benson, C. W. & White, C. M. N. 1957. Check list of the Birds of Northern Rhodesia. Govern- ment Printer, Lusaka. Brown, L. H. 1965. Observations on Verreaux’s Eagle Ow] Bubo lacteus (Temminck) in Kenya. J. E. Afr. Nat. Hist. Soc. 35(2): 101-107. Brown, L. H. & Urban, E. K. 1970. Bird and mammal observations from the forests of southwest Ethiopia. Walia (2): 13-40. Mackworth-Praed, C. W. & Grant, C. H. B. 1952. The Birds of Eastern and North-eastern Africa. Vol. 1. Longmans, London. Roberts, A. 1940. The Birds of South Africa. 3rd Edn. revised, MacLachlan & Liversedge (1970). Cape & Transvaal Printers, Cape Town. Smithers, R. H. N. 1964. A Check List of the Birds of the Bechuanaland Protectorate. Nat. Mus. S. Rhodesia, Salisbury. Sparks, J. & Soper, A. 1970. Owls. David & Charles. Newton Abbot. Urban, E. K. & Brown, L. H. 1970. A Check List of the Birds of Ethiopia. Haile Selassie I University Press, Addis Ababa. Address: Box 24916, Karen, Kenya. 53 [Bull, B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] Subspeciation in the Marico Flycatcher Melaenornis mariquensis (Smith) of Southwestern Africa by P. A. Clancey Received 15 January 1976 The Marico Flycatcher Me/aenornis mariquensis (Smith), 1847: Marico R., western Transvaal, of a large segment of the South West Arid District and some adjacent parts of Ethiopian Africa, was first shown to exhibit sub- specifically significant variation by Irwin (1957), when he proposed M. m. acaciae from Ohopoho in the Kaokoveld of northwestern South West Africa. Later, the species was reviewed by Lawson (1963), who recognised three subspecies, proposing M. . vinaceus from Tshane, in the Kalahari, western Botswana, as a third race. I drew attention (Clancey 1968) to the peculiar characters of some Marico Flycatcher specimens from ““Mkien” Farm, near Bulawayo, Rhodesia, taken by Durban Museum personnel, suggesting that these perhaps indicated a shift in western Rhodesian populations from nominate M. mariquensis to an as yet undescribed form in the northeastern sector of the species’ range. I have recently pursued this latter line of enquiry, marshalling for the purpose a series of 402 specimens drawn from the collections of the Durban, East London and Transvaal Museums and the National Museum of Rhodesia, Bulawayo. To the responsible officials of sister institutions for assistance in organising the loan of material I tender my thanks. In the Marico Flycatcher variation affects the hue of the brown upper- parts and the lengths of the wings and tail, and overall follows a closely comparable pattern to that of many similarly distributed polytypic species of birds. In the main, the largest and palest birds are those in the west of the range from Angola, south to the northern Cape, with darker coloured populations in the mesic east. In freshly moulted examples the upper-parts ate distinctly more pink or vinaceous tinged than those taken later in the year, a colour change which takes place in a relatively short period of time. [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] 54 The large material available to me reveals incontrovertibly that both Irwin and Lawson failed to appreciate the measure of individual variation and the nature, extent and variability of the habitat-induced differences evident in most comprehensive museum series. Irwin believed his acaciae to be restricted to the Kaokoveld of northwestern South West Africa, taking the range of the nominate subspecies as far north in South West Africa as Windhoek and to Ghanzi in northwestern Bostwana. Lawson, in admitting the validity of acaciae, extended its range south as far as Rehoboth, in northern Great Namaqualand, at 23° 18’ S., 17° 03’ E., at the same time placing the popu- lations of “the interior plateau of South West Africa” in his new race, vinaceus. Lawson examined twenty specimens of vinaceas from South West Africa, most of these collected in the Windhoek district during May 1959 by personnel engaged in the joint Durban/East London Museums expedition of that year. Examination of the Windhoek series, perhaps the best available in freshly moulted condition from a single locality, reveals that there is a considerable range of individual variation in the relative yellowness or red- ness of the dorsal surfaces in far western populations of this flycatcher. Even allowing for this, specimens collected at Neudamm, Windhoek, in October 1941, by Austin Roberts are very decidedly yellower above than the yellowest 1959 birds from the same area and agree with paratypes of acaciae from the Kaokoveld. In the case of a pair from the Rehoboth district, a Q from Valencia Ranch, taken on 13 May 1965, shows the characters attributed to vinaceus, while an example from Kobos, in the same district, taken two months later (in mid-July) matches paratypical skins of acaciae. Moving still further south in the arid west of the South African Sub-Region, freshly moulted birds from the Gemsbok National Park in the northern Cape are seen which are every bit as pallid as the palest northern South West African examples. Again, further southeast, most specimens in the Durban Museum collection from the Kuruman district of the northern Cape more closely resemble the Kaokoveld representation—after making allowance for a slight difference in the relative freshness of the samples—than they do fresher birds from the Kalahari immediately to the north. The relatively wide spectrum of individual variation in a population and the marked colour change to the dorsum correlated with insolation and the wearing of the plumage, dictate that no useful subdivision of the arid western populations of the Marico Flycatcher into northern and southern taxa can be sustained and that only two races in the species are admissible. The genetically based colour and size variation is, generally speaking, relatively slight. Resulting from these findings I place Lawson’s vinaceus as a synonym of M. m. acaciae, the range of which is now seen as extending from Angola, south to the Kalahari of Botswana and the northern Cape. Apropos my suggestion that the northeastern populations might consti- tute a fourth subspecies, a freshly moulted sample from the Makgadikgadi Pan area of Botswana reveals that the population of this region is not separable taxonomically from that of the Transvaal (topotypical of M. m. mariquensis), though greying more than others through the action of the sun and wear in this particularly harsh, glaring environment. The revised characters and tanges of the two acceptable races of the Marico Flycatcher will now stand as follows: (a) Melaenornis mariquensis mariquensis (Smith), 1847: Marico R., western Transvaal. 55 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] ZAMBEZI RIVER ORANGE RIVER Sketch-map showing the revised ranges of the two recognisable races of the Marico Flycatcher in southern Africa. A. Melaenornis mariquensis acaciae Irwin B. Melaenornis mariquensis mariquensis (Smith) @ Extra-limital records of acaciae. Dorsum in freshly moulted condition dark Saccardo’s Umber (Ridgway 1912, pl. xxix) with vinous-grey bloom. Venter white, the upper breast with faint buff wash. Wings of 12 gg from the Transvaal 81-87-5, mean 84:7, SD 2-15, SE 0:62, culmens 16-18, mean 17:0, SD 0°67, SE 0:19, tails 71-75°5, mean 73°1, SD 1:64, SE 0:47 mm. Wings of 12 99 82-87, mean 84:7, SD 1°52, SE 0-44, culmens 16: 5-18, mean 17:1, SDo-47, SEo: 14, tails 69-74, mean 72-6, SD 1-83, SEo- 53 mm. Material examined. 280. Range. Eastern northern Cape, extreme western Orange Free State, bush- veld regions of the Transvaal highveld (east as far as Leydsdorp), Rhodesia in the dry west and locally over the midlands to Salisbury, Marandellas, Umvuma and Fort Victoria, southwestern Zambia, southwestern, western and northern Botswana (generally north of a line Ghanzi-Damara Pan— _ Molepolole), and Caprivi and adjacent southeastern Angola. Remarks. The birds of the Makgadikgadi Salt Pan complex of Botswana and adjacent areas tend to become greyer through insolation and wear than in the case of populations of the same taxon occurring to the east (in Rhodesia and the Transvaal). (b) Melaenornis mariquensis acaciae (Irwin), 1957: Ohopoho, Kaoko- veld, northern South West Africa. [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)} 56 Synonym. Bradornis mariquensis vinaceus Lawson, 1963: Tshane (Tsane), Kalahari, western Botswana. Differs from the nominate subspecies in being paler and more vinaceous sandy ted, or more ochraceous, over the dorsum, and markedly redder over the rump and upper tail-coverts (dorsum in fresh dress vinaceous Buffy Brown (pl. xl)). Wings and tail paler. Size larger. Wings of 12 gg from South West Africa 85-91, mean 88-5, SD 1-74, SE 0-50, culmens 17—18-5, mean 17:7, SD 0-50, SEo: 14, tails 73-78: 5, mean 76:3, SD 1:98, SE 0°57 mm. Wings of 12 99 85-5-90, mean 87-9, SD 1-62, SE 0-47, culmens 17-19, mean 17:6, SD 0-61, SE 0:18, tails 75-81, mean 77-2, SD 1°88, SE 0:54 mm. Material examined. 122. Range. Southwestern Angola in south-central and southern Huila and parts of southern Cubango, South West Africa (except Namib and much of Great Namaqualand), northern Cape in Gordonia and Kuruman districts (south to Olifantshoek, Sishen and Kuruman, west to Vryburg), and Bots- wana south of a line Ghanzi-Damara Pan—Molepolole. Intergrades with the nominate race in the east of its range. Remarks. Environmental factors result in the fairly rapid loss of the pinkish tinge to the upper-parts and the assumption of a duller and yellower facies to the dorsum in the present taxon. As shown in the discussion above, the race vinaceus, ptoposed in the first instance on Kalahari birds in freshly assumed dress, is based on such phenotypic change, the paratypical material of acaciae available to its describer being in moderately abraded plumage, as revealed by the wear shown over the tips of the remiges and tails in specimens re-examined during the course of the present study. Some populations of acaciae are apparently subject to an eastward or north- eastward shift in the cold, dry winter months, judging by well-marked examples of it taken within the limits of the nominate subspecies in Rhodesia. Even making allowance for their age, three skins taken at Bulawayo in May 1908, in the collection of the National Museum of Rhodesia, agree with fairly recent skins of acaciae from both southwestern Botswana and South West Africa. A 9 dated 8 September 1957, from Grassland, Felixburg, Rhodesia, matches many topotypical examples of acaciae, while a further example from Hillside, Bulawayo, dated (probably incorrectly) 6 January 1948, likewise agrees with the same taxon in the redness of the upper-parts. A juvenile 9 taken at O’Kiep, northern Little Namaqualand, northwestern Cape, on 21 April 1960, is in the collection of the Transvaal Museum, Pretoria (T.M.Reg.No.31, 689). The collecting locality is well to the south- west of the range of the species. The specimen is probably referable to acaciae, and, judging by the date, almost certainly a wanderer from the north. Winterbottom (1968) lists the species from the Aughrabies Falls on the Orange R., to the east of O’Kiep, which is also well southwest of the species’ established range. References: Clancey, P. A. 1968. Subspeciation in some birds from Rhodesia. Durban Mus. Novit. 8 (11): 149. Irwin, M. P. S. 1957. A new race of Marico Flycatcher Bradornis mariquensis from South- West Aftica. Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 77 (7): 118. Lawson, W. J. 1963. The geographical variation in the Marico Flycatcher Bradornis mariquen- sis Smith with the description of a new race. Bull. Brit. Orn. C7. 83 (8): 146-148. Ridgway, R. 1912. Color Standards and Color Nomenclature. Washington. 57 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] Winterbottom, J. M. 1968. A Check List of the land and fresh water Birds of the western Cape Province. Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 53 (1): 197. Additional Migrant Records from Seychelles by D, A. Turner & A. D. Forbes-Watson Received 16 January 1976 | Address: Durban Museum, City Hall, Durban 4oo1, S. Africa. : Feare (1973, 1975) recorded a number of migrant birds new to the Seychelles and the Malagasy region. These notes add further records, and may serve as a reminder to all visitors to Seychelles between October and April to be on the alert for additional migratory records. Pernis apivorus. A Honey Buzzard was observed circling over Felicité Island on 1 October 1975. As it flew low past us, the tail with two black bands near the base and one at the tip were clearly visible. The “pigeon-like” appear- ance of the head, and long wings, plus the heavily barred under wing pattern, clearly distinguished it from any Buw/eo species. The flight feathers were noticeably ragged, obviously due to heavy moult. This is the first record in both the Seychelles and Malagasy region; a very _ early record from Madagascar is rejected by Rand (1936: 498, 496), despite _ Delacour (1932). It is likely however, that some of the birds of prey from Seychelles, recorded as Buteo sp. by Loustau-Lalanne (1962) and by Penny (1974: 153) may refer to Honey Buzzards. Tringa ochropus. A Green Sandpiper observed at a small freshwater inland _ pond on Silhouette Island on 8 October 1975 is the first record for Seychelles. Glareola maldivarum. Benson & Roux (1967) distinguished two adult pratincoles collected on Mahe in October and November 1877 as G. maldi- varum. Feare (1975) recorded pratincoles from Bird Island in September and October 1972 but states that comparison of photographs with specimens at _ Cambridge suggest his birds were G. pratincola. We observed three pratincoles on Praslin on 3 October 1975, and one we saw on Bird Island on 13 and 14 October 1975 had been present there since 1 October (Mrs. Savy, pers. comm.) Photographs of the Bird Island bird taken by D. A. Bullock have been seen by C. W. Benson, who agrees that probably the species was G. maldivarum, not pratincola. The tails of all birds were noticeably less forked than in G. pratincola, of which we know the resident race in East Africa. Since G. pratincola is only migratory in small numbers to northern Africa (Vaurie 1965) and G. maldivarum is strongly migratory in winter, it seems more likely that all Seychelles records of pratincoles are of G. maldivarum. As far as we know G. pratincola has not been recorded further south than the Sudan and Ethiopia*, and is therefore unlikely to have been recorded during September and October in Seychelles some 2,000 miles further to the southeast. * Mr. C. W. Benson states (in Jit.) that G. maldivarum has been recorded as far south as Mauritius (Benson, Bu//. Brit. Orn. C/. 1971: 1-2) and that there is a record from Bird Island for 4 November 1963 (Bailey, /bis 1967: 439), which is most likely referable to G. maldivarum.—£D. References: Benson, C. W. & Roux, F. 1967. Deux records méconnus des Seychelles. Oseau 37: 145. Delacour, J. 1932. Les oiseaux de la mission zoologique Franco-Anglo-Américaine a Madagascar. Ofseau 2: 1-96. [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] 58 Feare, C. J. 1973. Numenius minutus, Falco subbuteo and Caprimulgus europaeus in the Seychelles. Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 93: 99-101. — 1975. Further migrant birds in the Seychelles. Bul/. Brit. Orn. Cl. 95: 48-50. Loustau-Lalanne, P. 1962. Land Birds of the Granitic Islands of The Seychelles. Seychelles Society Occasional Publication No. 1. Penny, M. 1974. The Birds of Seychelles and the Outlying Islands. Collins. Rand, A. L. 1936. The iaiares and Habits of Madagascar birds. Bull, Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 72(5): 143-49 Vaurie, C. 1965. The Birds of the Palearctic Fauna. Non-Passerines. London: Witherby. Address: P.O. Box, 48019, Nairobi, Kenya. Status of the White-crowned Starling Spreo albicapillus (Blyth) in Kenya by D. A. Turner & A. D. Forbes-Watson Received 16 January 1976 Keith’s (1964) description of the race Spreo albicapillus horrensis from North Horr in northern Kenya has until recently been the only record of the White- crowned Starling in Kenya. On 19 June 1975, we observed White-crowned Starlings in the Mandera district of northeastern Kenya, 1o-12 in Mandera township itself and 6-8 also at c. 35 miles south, in both cases in close association with human habitation and cultivation. These were of the nominate race and considerably beyond the known range of either the northern Somalia population or, and more likely, the Yavello population in southern Ethiopia described by Benson (1946). We also observed S. a. horrensis on 21 June 1975 in many small groups along the northern edge of the Dida Galgalla desert c. 90 miles north of Marsabit and c. 80 miles east of North Horr, in much the same area as seen by L. H. Brown in 1963 (Keith 1964). These birds were noticeably smaller than the Mandera birds, as shown by Keith. Young birds with yellow bills and gapes were still being fed by adults. Altogether c. 50 birds were seen in small parties over a seven mile stretch of fairly lush ground (following exception- ally heavy rains in April) before the open thorn bush finally gave way to the barren lava desert of the Dida Galgalla. Also on 3 July 1973, A. D. F-W. and others saw four S. a. horrensis c. 30 miles southeast of North Horr, associating with camels, walking near their feet, presumably catching flushed insects. It now appears that S. a. horrensis ranges over a wide area of northern Kenya from the North Horr area eastward along the northern edge of the Dida Galgalla desert, while S. a. albicapillus is found in the extreme north- eastern corner of Kenya around Mandera. The much thicker thorn bush accurring in the Moyale-Wajir-Ramu triangle probably separates the two races. References: Benson, C. W. 1946. Ibis 88: 453. Keith, S, 1964. A new subspecies of Spreo albicapillus (Blyth) from Kenya. Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 84: 162-163. Address: P.O. Box 48019, Nairobi, Kenya. Buccal colours of sunbirds as an age character by RB. K. Brooke Received 22 January 1976 Brooke (1970a, b) suggested that the different colours, particularly of the palate, found in the mouths of sunbirds Nectariniidae might provide a 59 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] method of grouping the species placed in an enlarged genus Necfarinia by Delacour (1944). Further data on buccal colours have been assembled by myself and by W. W. Howells at my request, from material in the collections of the National Museums of Rhodesia. Data recently obtained, together with that already published (Benson & Penny 1971, Brooke 1970<, b, Howells 1971), are summarized in Table 1. The species are listed according to the subgenera and species groups (treated as subgenera) of Delacour (1944) TABLE 1 Buccal colours of some sunbirds Nectariniidae Males in post Juvenals Species Adult males Adult females juvenal moult both sexes Nectarinia(Cyrstostomus) Black sometimes, Flesh pink — Flesh pink sovimanga (Benson & blackish pink Penny 1971) N.(C). talatala Black Yellow-grey Yellowish- Yellow pink NAC). venusta oe — — Dusky orange Nectarinia (Anthobaphes) Yellow/black/mauve Orange, pink Yellow with Orange chalybea or brownish black when about pink centre with white centre to lay patch patch N.(A.) minulla _— — Orange N. (Aidemonia) cuprea Dark redordusky — Orange Orange (Howells 1971) mauve N.(Cyanomitra) batesi = — — — Orange N.Chalcomitra) Very dark brown to Yellow-grey Dull ver- Yellow-grey amethystina black million NAC.) senegalensis Brownish grey to Yellowish — — black or dusky red _ pink to yellow-grey N. (Nectarinia) Dark grey-brown to Off white to — Rich yellow bifasciata black, sometimes pinkish grey to orange or with yellow underlay or yellow pink as being the latest revision of the family. It appears that what has seemed a taxonomic character is, in fact, a character of age, sex and breeding condition. In short, breeding adult male sunbirds have dark mouths, nonbreeding adult males have somewhat paler mouths, adult females have pale mouths, males in post juvenal moult do not attain adult mouth colours until the moult is nearly complete and juvenals have yellow to orange or pink mouths. The biological significance of these findings are obscure, since, as previously remarked, male sunbirds display facing away from their females. References: Benson, C. W. & Penny, M. J. 1971. The land birds of Aldabra. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. London B26o: 417-527. Brooke, R. K. 1970a. The buccal colours, weights and races of Neetarinia bifasciata. Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 90: I1-14. — 1970b. Buccal colours in some sunbirds. Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 90: 134-135. Delacour, J. 1944. A revision of the family Nectariniidae (sunbirds). Zoologica 29: 17-38. Howells, W. W. 1971. Breeding of the Coppery Sunbird at Salisbury, Rhodesia, Ostrich 42: 99-109. Address: Museum and Art Gallery, City Hall, Durban 4oo1, S. Africa. [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] 60 Ecology and breeding habits of the White-billed Starling Onychognathus albirostris in Tigrai, Ethiopia by L. 1. Brown & K. M. Thorogood | Received 22 January 1976 GENERAL ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOUR The White-billed Starling Oxychognathus albirosiris is an Ethiopia highland endemic species, apparently commonest north and west of the Rift Valley but also recorded from Bale, south and east of the Rift. Locally abundant in suitable habitats, in most of its range it prefers rocky gorges and cliffs, between 2000 and 3000 m a.s.l. It occurs in small parties or singly, but may also form large noisy flocks, often associated with waterfalls. In this respect it resembles the Slender-billed Chestnut-wing O. ¢enuirosiris more than the Common Redwing O. morio; but although it occurs alongside O. tenuirostris it does not normally reach such high altitudes as the latter. In Semien O. albirostris occurs on cliffs up to 3100 m, while O. Zenuirostris occurs to the upper limits of vegetation, feeding, for example, on Giant Lobelias Lobelia rhynchopetalum wp to 4500 m. In the Bale Mts., southeast Ethiopia, O. senui- rostris is abundant at around 3000 m, but O. a/birostris does not normally occur with it; while in the Bole Valley, near Addis Ababa, at 2200-2500 mall three species, albirostris, tenuirostris and morio occur together. Here O. albirostris and O. tenuirostris prefer the neighbourhood of water, while O. morio is not confined to waterfalls and gorges. All three species also occur in Central Tigrai; but here O. eee largely occupies the niche occupied, for instance in East Africa, by O. morio, being common round rocky mountains bearing remnants of Olive-Cedar (Olea- Juniperus) forest, and much more abundant and widespread than either O. morio or O. tenuirostris. O. tenuirostris occurs only near waterfalls and along streams at about 2000 m or over, while O. mworio has been seen only in semi- arid Acacia bushlands around rocky cliffs near Shiket, at about 1500 m. Thus in most of Ethiopia O. a/lirostris appears intermediate between O. morio and O. tenuirostris, but in Tigrai becomes the dominant species. In Tigrai O. albirostris is also common in towns, perhaps because of the long tradition of skilled drystone building in Tigrai providing good breeding sites. It also frequents more recent man-made structures such as road bridges, for example in Shoa near Debre Berhan and Debra Sina. It thus shares the habit of associating with man and buildings shown by O. morio (Broekhuysen 1951, Brown 1965, Rowan 1955), the Somali Chestnut-wing O. blythi (Archer & Godman 1961) and the Bristle-crowned Chestnut-wing O. salvadorii (Urban ef al. 1970). O. fenuirostris, though occurring commonly in inhabited parts of Kenya, is not known to associate with any man-made structures but breeds exclusively behind or near waterfalls (Brown 1965), while the Pale-winged Starling O. nabouroup, which might be expected to behave like O. morio apparently only breeds in rock clefts (Roberts, 3rd Ed, revised Maclachlan & Liversedge 1972). According to Hall & Moreau (1970) O. a/birostris is placed in a species group with Waller’s Chestnut-wing O. walleri, the Pale-winged Starling O. nabouroup, and the Socotran Chestnut-wing O. frater. Reasons are not given; but all these birds of dissimilar habits are short-tailed. O. frater and O. nabouroup inhabit desert environments and might on that account be better placed with Tristram’s Grackle O. ¢ristrami. O. walleri is a forest species 61 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] breeding in holes in trees, quite unlike most other Onychognathus species, and resembling more the forest starlings of the genus Poeoptera, some of which _ also have red wings. This paper will demonstrate that in most of its habits O. albirostris is probably closest to O. ¢enuirostris. VOICE O. albirostris’ voice is intermediate between the sharp excited chatter of | O. tenuirostris and the sweet whistling calls and songs of O. morio. Males utter | a variety of short whistling calls: “Chee-up”, “Tu-it”; sometimes a low | “Chut”; and when singing near the nest a repeated, rather sharp “Kwit-kvi?”, _ accompanied by raising and lowering of the tail; also a call like “Chirip”’. In | anxiety scolding near the nest a harsh grating “Charr” or “Churrr”’ is uttered. The calls are more like those of O. worzo than those of O. ¢enuirostris, to which | in other respects this species seems closer. However the notes are neither so | long drawn nor so melodious as those of O. morio. BREEDING HABITS | Nest-sites. _ Although Smith (1957) records a pair building at Senafe, Eritrea, in June, | the nesting of this species was substantially unknown until K.M.T. observed _ a pair breeding in a hole in the wall of the garment factory in Makalle in 1973. The same hole was again occupied in 1974, and was frequented in 1975, though breeding in 1975 was unsuccessful, if indeed the birds ever laid. This _ hole was about 9 m above ground in a vertical wall, inaccessible without a long ladder or ropes, and accordingly was not closely examined. Four young were successfully reared in both 1973 and 1974, but although the female _ remained within the hole for long periods and was thought to be incubating in Spetember 1975 it was evident by late October that no young were reared. Other nest-sites in man-made structures in or near Makalle included: (i) A nest with C/4 found in a hole under a bridge on the main Addis Ababa— Asmara road near Quiha; this was the only accessible site and is described _ more fully later. _ (ii) Two nests with young found in late September by V. Robertson above _ the door lintels on an upper floor balcony of the old palace at Makalle. Later _ attempts to examine these nests more closely were frustrated by illiterate police, though permission had been given by the Chief Administrator, Dr. Haile Selassie. (iii) A nest behind a drainpipe against the outside wall of the Abraha Castle Hotel at Makalle, which did not exist in early February 1974, and was not used in 1975, though the pair of starlings frequented it at intervals between 10 Sep and 31 Oct, without adding much to it. It was clearly their nest, but was dilapidated and unused, so was not examined more closely. In addition, O. a/birostris was suspected by L.H.B. of breeding under bridges along the main road from Addis Ababa to. Dessie, between Debre Berhan and Debra Sina at 2800-3000 m in October 1974; however no definite _ site was located. . ) The natural nest-site of this species was long suspected by L.H.B. to be in _ vegetation on cliffs and in caverns behind or beside waterfalls, since in the Bole Valley and Kessem River gorges near Addis Ababa flocks were seen | behaving much like O. tenuirostris, which always uses such sites, while an old nest, possibly of this species, was found in a cave in the Kessem River Gorge. In Tigrai three natural nest-sites have been found: [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] 62 (a) In an inaccessible narrow crevice on a sandstone cliff face on Debre Zhion mountain, near Dugum, on 15 Oct 75. This crevice was about 20 m below the lip of the vertical 80 m face, among grass tussocks growing where water had earlier trickled during the rains. Both adults visited it twice, the female entering and staying some minutes. Her behaviour was consistent with feed- ing young. This site would have been quite typical of natural sites of O. morio in Kenya, though in a depeer crevice than most; and was typical of the sites suspected but not examined by Smith (1957). (b) Two nests at Romanat Falls, 8 km from Makalle, both containing young on 27 Oct 75. Two parents were seen visiting each nest, and at 18.10 hrs on 27 Oct the female of each pair entered its nest and remained within, while the males apparently roosted on ledges or trees on the cliff face above. One nest was entirely hidden in dense maidenhair fern (Adsantum sp.), wetted by the spray, about 2 m above the water of the surge pool of the falls. Though invisible, its precise location was determined by the visiting adults. The other nest was in a damp hole at the back of the cavern behind the same falls, about 3 km above the water, and was visible from across the pool. On 31 Oct L.H.B. swam through the pool to the cave, but found that the nest was still inacessible with the available ladder, as the cliff at that point overhung the water. H.Arundale had observed both parents visiting each nest repeatedly earlier the same day, thus confirming the presence of young. Nest and eggs. : The nest found under the road bridge (see back) on 23 Sep 75 was aces- sible and could be closely examined. It was in a drainage hole about 3 m from the concrete base of the bridge, about 4 metre in. On 23 Sep L.H.B. and V. Robertson found C/3. On 28 Sep K.M. and B. Thorogood found C/4, removed, measured and returned the eggs. They were rather broad ovals, resembling eggs of O. senuirostris rather than those of O. morio, clear tur- quoise blue with small well-defined dark brown and blackish spots, mainly clustered about the broad end and measured 30-33 mm X 20-21 mm, averaging about 20:7 X 31°25 mm. The nest was a substantial construction laterally compressed by the nature of the site, but otherwise resembling other Oxychognathus nests. It had probably been used repeatedly and merely repaired in 1975. It was not taken to pieces, but apparently had no mud base, being composed wholly of grass and cereal leaf blades, lined with finer plant fibres and rootlets. The nest rim was about 11-12 cm above the base, which in a site not laterally compressed would have been about 15 cm across. The central cup was 9-10 cm across by 4-5 cm deep. This nest was re-examined on 26 Oct, when it should have contained large young. The parent starlings were still present, but the nest was abandoned and filled with the dry droppings of Speckled Pigeons Columba guinea. Whether it had been abandoned through competition from this large pigeon (which breeds and roosts in many such drainage holes under bridges in most of Ethiopia), or whether it had regrettably been robbed by Ethiopian chil- dren who observed us taking an interest in it, is unknown. Laying dates and breeding success. K.M.T. has records of laying at the garment factory site in Aug and Sep. The other nests found suggest laying in Sep (2) and Oct (2), the sites at Romanat Falls with small young late in October being later than the others in drier sites. Thus this species in Tigrai apparently breeds late in the rains, or 63 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)} just after the rains have finished, suggesting that, as in O. ¢enuirostris (Brown 1965), laying dates may be related to flood conditions. These dates are consistent with some of the few available records for the Common Redwing O. morio in Ethiopia (Urban & Brown 1971; and L.H.B. unpub. nest records). The young from the garment factory site left the nest in October, suggesting that the combined incubation and fledging periods might be c. 35 days, similar to that of O. morio. However, more precise data are needed as incu- bation periods might vary, as they do in O. morio, while fledging periods might be longer in wet waterfall sites, as in O. senuirostris (Rowan 1955, Brown 1965). Breeding behaviour of adults. Scattered data suggest that the behaviour of this species generally resembles that of O. morio and O. senuirostris. Nest-sites are probably used for several or many successive years, both in artificial and natural sites. The basic nest structure in a dry artificial site might only need a little repair annually, but in wet cave sites might disintegrate in the August-September floods and require complete reconstruction (as in O. /enuirostris in such sites—Brown 1965). Probably most nest building is done by the female who often remains for long periods in the hole while the male sings and postures on a song post outside. At the garment factory site the males’ song post was the corner of the parapet on the roof of the building. A male was also once seen near Quiha holding a rootlet in his bill and singing beside a female feeding at the edge of a cereal field, at least 1 km from their possible nest site near a small waterfall. At the garment factory site on 22 Sep 75 the male collected scraps of dyed thread and took these into the nest hole when the female was inside; and at the Abraha Castle Hotel site the female often spent several minutes perched on and apparently examining the nest, working sometimes on the material but adding little, while the male perched and sang on the parapet above. Although little is known of the incubation period, the female probably incubates most and is fed by the male. On 23 Sep 75 the garment factory male spent some minutes battering to death a hard elliptical beetle, which re- peatedly slipped from his bill. Eventually he took it to the female in the hole. In this case laying was not proven; but in both O. morio and O. tenuirostris males feed sitting females. After the young hatch they are fed by both parents, but more often by the female. As in O. morio and O. tenuirostris, both parents usually depart together on a feeding foray, and return together; females may then have food and males none. However, often both feed the young in turn, and sometimes both enter the nest together, as at Romanat, 27 Oct 75. In such damp water- fall sites it seems likely that females remain brooding small young for part of the day and at night, as in O. fenuirostris in similar situations (Brown 1965). Both sexes feed large young, coming and going together, and entering the nest in turn. All identifiable food has consisted of insects, including a hard beetle, three grasshoppers and a butterfly. Away from the nest the adult frequently flies out from a perch to catch an insect in the manner of a fly- catcher. On 27 and 31 Oct females entering the Romanat Falls nests had beakfuls of small unidentifiable objects, probably small insects, which they possibly regurgitated to the young as in O. ¢enuirosiris (Brown 1965). Four young were reared in the garment factory nest in both 1973 and 1974, but in 1975 this pair failed, if they ever laid. In five pairs observed there were two cases of non-breeding and one failure, with a success rate overall of 8 young from 12 known eggs and 20 potential eggs, if the average clutch is four: about 1-6 young per pair per annum. The success of the Romanat Falls [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)} 64 nests was unknown. As in other Oxychognathus spp, especially O. tenuirostris, one has the impression that only a proportion of pairs breed annually, many more adults being seen paired than nests are found, especially near natural waterfall sites where breeding may be severely limited by the availability of suitable dry nest holes. Young remain near the nests, apparently dependent on the parents, for a few days after first flight, then follow their parents to feeding grounds, forming small family parties. Recently flown young are duller black than their glossy parents, and have grey heads like females, but have white bills and reddish wing-feathers like the adults. The white bill may not be in- variable, as apparent juveniles with dark bills have been seen by L.H.B. in Semien at 3000-3100 m, in flocks with adults. Later in the dry season adults and young form into larger flocks of up to 1o-12 in Makalle; but in some other sites, e.g. the Kessem River Gorge and Bole Valley, up to 100 or more have been seen together. During the day such flocks may split up into smaller parties or even singles and gather again to roost, as happens in several other Oxychognathus spp (tenuirostris, morio, salvadorii). Young and adults are mixed in these large flocks, which often visit waterfalls in the heat of the day to bathe, as in O. ¢enuirostris. Although the general behaviour of this species is thus very much like what is known of other Onychognathus species, and especially that of O. senuirostris in its liking for waterfalls and gorges, O. albirostris appears less extremely gregarious than O. /enuirostris, while its adaptation to man-made breeding sites, at least in Tigrai, and probably elsewhere should undoubtedly assist it to exploit new habitats and help it to breed more successfully. It is not known whether it competes directly with O. senuirostris for breeding sites near waterfalls, as no nest of O. ¢enwirostris has so far been found in Ethiopia. References: Archer, Sir G. & Godman, E. M. 1961. The Birds of British Somaliland and the Gulf of Aden. Vol. IV. Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh. Broekhuysen, G. J. 1951. Observations on the nesting habits of the Redwinged Starling Onychognathus morio. Ostrich 22: 6-16. 9 L. H. 1965. Redwinged Starlings of Kenya. J. E. Afr. Nat. Hist. Soc. XXV(1) 5 Hall, a P. & Moreau, R. E. 1970. An Atlas of Speciation in African Passerine Birds. London, British Museum (Natural History). Roberts, A. 1972. Birds of South Afrien. 3rd Kd., revised Maclachlan & Liversedge. Cape Town. Rowan, M. K. 1955. The breeding biology and behaviour of the Redwinged Starling Onychognathus morio. Ibis 97: 663-705. Smith, K. D. 1957. An annotated checklist of the birds of Eritrea. Ibis 99: 1-26, 307-337. Urban, E. K., Brown, L. H., Buer,C. E. & Plage, G. D. 1970. Four descriptions of nesting, pteviously undescribed, from Ethiopia. Bull. Brit. Orn, Cl. 90(6): 162-4. Urban, E. K. & Brown, L. H. 1971. A Checklist of the Birds of Ethiopia. Haile Selassie I University Press, Addis Ababa. Addresses: L. H. Brown, Box 24916, Karen, Kenya. Mrs. K. M. Thorogood, 7 Union Street, Bedford MK4o 2SF. The wing proportions of the Eocene Diver Colymboides anglicus by C. J. O. Harrison Received 9 January 1976 Storer (1956) examined the material in various collections which had been referred to a small diver, Colymboides minutus Milne-Edwards 1867, of the 65 [Bull, B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] Aquitanian deposits of France of Late Oligocene or Early Miocene age. Comparing the lengths of various bones he showed that in this species, _ although smaller, the proportions of the wing bones relative to each other ' were similar to those of Recent divers, Gavia species. Lydekker (1891) described a larger species, Colymboides anglicus, from the Upper Eocene of _ Hampshire, England, based on a coracoid in the collection of the British Museum (Natural History) no. 30330. In a recent re-examination of British _ Upper Eocene bird material (Harrison & Walker, in press) a humerus (c 31341) and the frontal end of a skull (c 31343), both in the Sedgwick Museum, Cambridge, have been referred to C. anglicus. In addition an ulna from the Upper Eocene, Hordle (~Hordwell), Hampshire, British Museum (Natural History) no. 36795, presented by S. Laing in 1862 and listed by Lydekker | (1891) as an unidentified ulna of a carinate bird, now appears to be referable to C’. anglicus and makes possible further comparison of wing proportions between C. minutus, C. anglicus and Gavia. _ The British Museum coracoid indicates that C. anglicus was larger than C. _ minutus and it is smaller than the Recent Red-throated Diver, Gavia stellata. _ It measures 42+ 4 mm long, about half as long again as that of C. minutus, and _ three-quarters the size of that of G. ste//ata. The humerus is incomplete, _ being broken away proximally at about the distal edge of the bicipital | surface. Like the humerus of C. minutus the shaft is stouter and more curved | than in Gavia, and the internal condyle appears to project further distally than in either Gavia ot C. minutus. The incomplete humerus is 67 mm long and if | restored by comparison with that of C. minutus, in which the humerus is 62— 66 mm long, would appear to have been c. 85 mm long. This is a little less than | three-fifths the length of the humerus of G. ste//ata. The new ulna is of the _ typical diver type. It is proportionally stouter, larger at the articulating ends, _ and more curved than that of C. minutus, but is barely longer, being 57-8 mm long compared with 49: 8-56 mm in C. minutus; and it is only half the length | of the ulna in G. ste/lata. | Incomparison with the bones of G. ste//ata therefore, C. minutus has wing _ bones with similar ratios of length relative to each other, while C. ang/licus has a coracoid three-quarters as long as that of G. ste//ata, a humerus less than | three-fifths as long and an ulna only half as long. There is always some possi- _ bility that palaeontological specimens may be referred to the wrong species, _ but from the material available it would appear that in comparison with other divers C’. anglicus had a much shorter wing. A development of this kind | is not unusual in birds which obtain their food in water. However, this is the _ earliest known form of true diver and since the shorter wing represents an | evolutionary divergence from the typical structure such a bird is unlikely to | have given rise to later, more generalised forms. C. anglicus may therefore | represent a specialised offshoot from a more generalised gaviid stem, rather than a direct ancestral form of either the later Gavia species or of C. minutus. References: Harrison, C. J. O. & Walker, C. A. Birds of the British Upper Eocene. Zool. J. Linn. Soc. Lond. in press. Lydekker, R. 1891. “ee of the Fossil Birds in the British Museum (Natural History). London: B. M. (N. H.). | Milne-Edwards, A. 1867-71. Recherches anatomique et paleontologique pour servir al "histoire des oiseaux fossiles de la France. Patis: Masson. | Storer, R. W. 1956. The fossil loon, Colymboides minutus. Condor 58: amie: | Address: British Museum (Natural History), Tring, Herts. [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] 66 The problem of the cassowaty in New Britain by C. M. N. White Received 12 February 1976 The presence of cassowaries on two islands which do not lie on the conti- nental shelf of Australia and New Guinea poses a problem of how a large flightless bird reached these localities. Recently I discussed (White 1975) the presence of C. casuarius in Seran (Seram), and showed that these birds could be feral descendents of birds brought there by human mercantile activities. Brief reference was also made to the presence of C. bennetti in New Britain, and I pointed out that, although Mayr (1945: 1) had suggested that New Britain must have been colonised by a pair swimming the Vitiaz Strait from nottheast New Guinea to New Britain, there was evidence to show that introduction by way of human mercantile activities was likewise possible in this case. There is certainly no evidence that New Britain was linked by land to New Guinea even when ocean levels were lower during the Pleistocene. Although not lying on the continental shelf, Gilliard & LeCroy (1967: 183) state that in former times New Britain was more closely connected to the mainland of New Guinea, but this may be quite misleading. Any geological similarities between parts of New Britain and the northern coastal ranges of New Guinea were established in the Miocene, when various islands emerged, and long before some of them became the present-day northern coastal ranges of New Guinea, consolidation of which in the north of the central cordillera was probably post-Pliocene (Marchant 1972: 221-2). New Britain and the region of the Vitiaz Strait are an area of tectonic instability and extreme vulcanism. The northern part of New Britain is heavily covered with volcanic ash of Pleistocene to more recent date (Brookfield & Hart 1972: 26-35), but there is no evidence that such vulcanism resulted in temporary or partial bridging of the Vitiaz Strait. The lack of other evidence for any past land link with New Guinea is strongly reinforced by the fact that, in contrast to New Guinea, New Britain has an impoverished bird fauna, such as characterises oceanic islands, of about 130 breeding land and fresh water species. Mayr admitted that the chances of successful colonisation by swimming across the Vitiaz Strait would have been very slight, to which may be added that sea conditions prevailing there are very unfavourable. A strong current from the southeast flows through the strait almost throughout the year, while from May to November winds from the southeast, with long periods of high velocities, produce such stormy conditions that sea-going canoes are weather bound (Allied Geographical Section 1943: 55, 61). On the other hand long established indigenous trading networks show how C. bennetti could have been carried to New Britain by human agency. It is well known that cassowaries are extensively traded in New Guinea, often ovet long distances. Captive C. anappendiculatus, which must have been brought from north New Guinea, have been found in New Britain (Mayr 1940: 3). Harding (1967) has described and analysed the trading networks of the Vitiaz Strait, operating between the Rai coast, south of Madang on Astrolabe Bay and the Huon Peninsula, New Guinea and New Britain. This network was formerly much more extensive, but declined after the intro- duction of German administration into the area in 1884. Harding, when he EE EEE OOOO OEOEOOee — 67 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] studied the situation in 1963-64, found the network was still in being, operated by the Siassi islanders, living off Umboi Island, and using large two-masted canoes when weather conditions in the Vitiaz Strait were favour- able. He found that a well defined two-way traffic existed. He did not specific- ally note cassowaries among commodities traded, but this is not of great significance, since it is known that C. wnnappendiculatus has been carried by man to New Britain. Given the existance of this trading network, it seems most likely that C. bennetti originally reached New Britain by this agency. Salvadori (1882: 501-503) reported that in the middle of last century the _ inhabitants of New Britain caught and domesticated young cassowaries, and traded some to a Captain Devlin. One of the latter reached the London Zoological Gardens and was described by Gould as C. bennetti. Subsequently _ a number were brought to Europe and they bred in the London Gardens. It might thus be supposed that description of any distinctive characters of birds from New Britain would have been well established. This is not so. Salvadori described adult bennetti from New Britain as having the bare neck blue with a wine-red area on the lower sides of the neck. Mayr (1931: 710) stated that birds from the Huon Peninsula, in adjacent New Guinea, were distinguish- able as C. b. hecki, with a variable amount of red on the throat and upper sides of the neck. Later (1945: 1) Mayr stated that differences between birds from New Britain and the Huon Peninsula could not in fact be accurately described in the absence of coloured field sketches of birds from these localities, but gave no explanation for this reversal of his earlier opinion. I am grateful to Mrs. M. LeCroy (American Museum of Natural History, New York) for some recent data about two birds from New Britain. A female, (AMNH 333637) collected by Coultas in 1933 during the Whitney Expedition has recorded on its label “Neck reddish purple with lighter bluish patches. Pinkish red patches at sides”, which may indicate that it was immature since immature bennetti were briefly stated by Salvadori to have the neck bluish violet and pink. A colour photo was also lent to me of a bird collected by Gilliard in 1958-59. This shows a lateral view of the neck, agreeing with Salvadori’s description of an adult, but it also shows a purplish pink patch on the side of the head over the jaw articulation. Mrs. LeCroy informs me _ that in a second photo this patch is even more distinct. This character occurs commonly, though not invariably, in C. bennetti in New Guinea. The mounted type of C. b. hecki in the Zoological Museum, Berlin, is painted with a dark ted patch below the ear aperture (Warren 1956: 760). Another C. b. hecki _ from the Huon Peninsula, originally described as C.. foersteri Rothschild, had a large pink patch below the ear, and lacked red on the front and upper sides _ of the neck. C. b. hecki as illustrated by Rothschild (1900: pl. 37) similarly has a uniform blue throat without any red area. On the other hand, C. keyssert Rothschild was described as having the front of the throat and neck extensively pale red. The birds described as hecki, foersteri and keysseri all | came from the area of the Huon peninsula, and must, as Mayr (1931) con- cluded, represent a single variable form. Birds lacking a red throat patch and having a pink area on the side of the head match Gilliard’s New Britain bird. Birds in adult black plumage with a red throat patch may be retaining an _ immature character, or may exhibit individual variation. Within all this considerable range of recorded plumage variation, there is no evidence of any distinction between birds from New Britain and from _ northeast New Guinea, which accords well with the suggestion, put forward above, that New Britain birds are descendents of birds introduced from [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] 68 adjacent New Guinea—in which case hecki is a synonym of nominate C. bennetti. I am grateful to Dr. R. Schodde, CSIRO, Canberra for commenting (2m #7. 22.X1.74) on an outline of this suggestion: “I am much taken by your idea that New Britain birds may have originally been carried there by man—it makes sense in so many ways”. References: Allied Geographical Scenon: South West Pacific Area. 1943. pee Study no. 57. Area Study of western New Britain. Brookfield, H. C. & Hart, D. 1971. Melanesia. London, Methuen. Gilliard, E. T. & LeCroy, M. 1967. Results of the 1958-59 Gilliard New Britain expedition. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 135-173-216. Harding, T. G. 1967. Voyagers of the Vitiaz Strait. Seattle & London, University of Washing- ton Press. Marchant, S. 1972. Bivdiusion of the genus Chrysococcyx. Ibis 114: 219-233. Mayt, E. 1931. Die Végel des Saruwaged und Herzog-geberges (N.O. New Guinea). Mz#z. Zool. Mus. Berlin. 17: 639-723. — 1940. Birds collected during the Whitney South Seas expedition 41. Notes on New Guinea birds 6. Amer. Mus. Novit. No. 1056. — 1945. Birds collected during the Whitney South Sea expedition 55. Notes on the birds of northern Melanesia 1. Amer. Mus. Novit. No. 1294. Rothschild, W. 1900. A monograph of the genus Casuarius. Trans. Zool. ae Lond, 15: 109- 148. Salvadori, T. 1882. Ornithologia della Papuasia e delle Molucche. 3: 473-503. Torino. Warren, Rela My 1956. Notes on specimens and illustrations of cassowaries, mainly i in the British Museum. Am, Mag. Nat. Hist. Set. 12, 9: 753-773. ee C. M. N. 1975. The problem of the cassowary in Seran. Bull, Brit. Orn. C. LOS 165-170. Address: 2 Belvedere Court, ane Ansdell, Lytham-St. Annes, Lancs. Notes on the Hawk-headed Parrot Deroptyus accipitrinus by Et. McLoughlin ¢» P. J. K. Burton Received 9 March 1976 The Hawk-headed Parrot Deroptyus accipitrinus is the sole representative of a distinctive genus from northern South America, placed between Amazona and Triclaria by Peters (1937). This paper presents new information about the habits and anatomy of Deroptyus. The field observations recorded here were made by E. McL, extending and amplifying his earlier account (McLoughlin 1970); and prompting PJKB to examine anatomical specimens, with the resulting comments in the second section of this paper. FIELD OBSERVATIONS Observations were made between 1970 and 1973 in an area of mainly sand-belt forest with some savannah, both natural and man-made, in Berbice, northern Guyana. Voice Certain calls are highly characteristic, and once learned are the most useful key to identifying Deroptyus in the field. In Guyana, its widely used Arawak name, the Hia-Hia parrot, derives from its most frequently heard call, which consists of two units, combined in various ways, e.g. “tak-heeya-heeya”’, “tak tak heeya-heeya”, etc. The commonly uttered combination “tak- heeya’”’ has its syllables weighted exactly as in the word “‘trachea’’, and: the syllable “‘hee”’ is considerably higher in pitch than the other two. 69 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)} The species also has a varied repertoire of other notes. These include a prolonged soft “‘yaag’’, single bugle like notes and a loud, musical “lawera’”’. Group calling heard on other occasions included a wide variety of musical or chattering calls, soft piping notes and a high-pitched “slit”, repeated many times sandwiched between the familiar “tak-heeya” calls. No obvious significance could be ascribed to most of these calls, but a pure musical whistle, sometimes followed by a very rapid “‘cha-cha-cha’’, was uttered by two pairs which were possibly establishing or disputing possession of nesting areas. The “‘tak”’ which precedes the “heeya” calls immediately distinguishes the notes of the Hawk-headed Parrot from those of the Black-headed Caique Pionites melanocephala, whose characteristic ““keeya’’ call sounds similar to that of Deroptyus, but lacks the “‘tak” and is more long-drawn out. There are other resemblances: both species engage in a performance, generally con- ducted by about four birds over periods of ten minutes to half an hour or more, when bizarre sounds are frequently uttered in a leisurely manner. Feeding Two pairs were seen feeding in late March on the ripe fruits of a cocorite palm, Aftalea fagifolia. An Amerindian informant living in the area stated that it fed on fruits of the Awarra Palm As/rocaryum tucumoides and the Cuyuru Palm A. tucuma. In cultivated clearings it came to feed on the fruits of Poixdoux, /nga spp. and Guava Psidium guajava. Nesting Five nests were found or reliably reported. Four were located in holes, almost certainly excavated by woodpeckers, in the trunks of large dead trees a few feet below the division into main branches. The fifth nest was on the extremity of a much narrower hollow limb, and this was clearly a replace- ment nest, situated only a short distance from a typically sited nest which had been destroyed a few weeks earlier when the tree fell. When visited 13 March 1970, one bird flew out when the tree was tapped, and the head of its mate also appeared at the entrance hole. Both birds remained silent. At a nest visited on 31 Jan 1973, an adult’s head appeared and remained framed in the entrance hole for half an hour; the following evening, both birds arrived together shortly after the observers, and alighted in a nearby tree calling agitatedly. The less commonly heard magpie-like ‘‘chak-chak .. .” call was repeated rapidly. One of the pair then flew into the hole, but again, remained watching from the entrance. This bird was again seen in the entrance hole on 7 March. Also on 7 March 1973, a nest in a cultivated clearing was reported; this _ was believed to have young, since the adults were visiting for short intervals only. Subsequently it appeared that this nest also came to grief when the tree crashed after heavy rains, and the only nestling found was killed by a dog _ before it could be rescued. Such incidents may well be a significant cause of nest failure in this species. On 23 March 1972, a nestling was obtained from a typical nest at about 40-50 ft, near the broken end of a tree trunk, the nest chamber being situated about two feet below the entrance hole. There did not appear to be any other nestling or egg in the nest cavity. E. McL. examined the bird, which had feathers in quill, with green just beginning to sprout from their tips. [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] 7o Miscellaneous As noted by various other observers, Deroptyus usually flies low, never more than 15—20 ft above the treetops. On two occasions where there was an opportunity to observe its flight in the open, this was seen to be a regular series of about five wing flaps separated from the next series by a longish low straight glide, making the overall flight pattern slightly undulating. The rather small head and slightly spread tail are distinctive. It does not appear to be particularly gregarious. The largest group en- countered on the many occasions on which it was either seen or heard contained four birds, in view simultaneously, and two others calling but hidden from view. Usually only one or two pairs were seen together, occasionally only a single bird. On a couple of occasions, one of a pair resting in the treetops raised part or all of the erectile neck feathers for a brief period, but no obvious sig- nificance could be attached to this action. Captive birds raising these feathers seem to be indicating mild irritation rather than alarm. The feathers of the crown are sometimes raised independently of those forming the fan. While usually regarded as a poor mimic of the human voice, one specimen lent to E. McL could give a most life-like imitation of a dog afflicted by a sudden excruciating pain, its anguished howls trailing away to a whimper. The juvenile bird mentioned earlier, after nearly a year had poorly defined calls which only vaguely resembled those of the wild birds. ANATOMY There is very little information on the anatomy of Deroptyus. Brief remarks on osteology are given by Garrod (1876), and it was included in the study of tongue myology in the Psittaciformes by Mudge (1903). The following notes are based on a skeleton and a spirit specimen in the British Museum (Natural History), Registration Numbers S/1955.5.52 and A/OH.238 respectively. Deroptyus accipitrinus Amazona aestiva (S/1955.5-52) (S/1973.66.108) Length Length relative Length Length relative to cranium to cranium Cranium from fronto- nasal hinge 36-6 100-0 41°4 100*O Exoccipital process (from postero-dorsal corner of auditory meatus) 9°3 25°4 9:0 25 ay Culmen 30°5 83°3 32°8 79°2 Palatine (to postero- ventral tip) 24°4 66-7 25°5 61°6 Pterygoid 16°9 46°2 ro OO 41°3 Quadrate (otic process to ventral edge) 13°7 37° #4 12°6 30°4 Orbit, max. length 17°6 48°1 17°5 42°3 Lower jaw length 39°0 106°6 44°4 107*2 Lower jaw, max. depth r5ea 41°3 14°5 35°0 Total length, vertebrae 1-5 26-0 71I°o 32°5 78°5 Widest vertebra 7th=10°5 28-7 8th=10°5 25°4 Sternum, from antero- ventral tip of keel 56-1 15§3°3 60°5 146°1 Table 1: Comparison of some skull and other measurements in single specimens of Deroptyus accipitrinus and Amazona aestiva from the British Museum (Nat. Hist.). Sternum length is included as a rough index of body size. 71 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] The skull (Fig. 1) is of particular interest, and differs extensively from the skulls of Amazona spp.—the genus with which Deroptyus has been associ- ated in recent lists. Table 1 compares skull and vertebra proportions in Deroptyus with a single specimen of Amazona aestiva. A much more extensive programme of measurements should obviously form part of any future investigation. Nevertheless inspection of a wide range of genera seems to indicate that the main points emerging from this limited comparison would hold good not only for other Amazona species, but probably for most other parrots except very large forms. The principal differences can be summarised _ as follows :— T. The cranium is slightly shorter in Deroptyus, but with much enlarged exoccipital (=“‘opisthotic’”) processes which protrude beyond the posterior of the cranium and with a proportionately more expanded | occipital region. 2. Palatine, quadrate and orbits are larger relative to both cranium length | and body size in Deroptyus. cf The lower jaw is considerably deeper in Deroptyus, and shows a prominent mandibular foramen (absent or very small in Amazona) and | little emargination of the anterior edge. It is worth noting, in passing, that the orbital ring is complete in both specimens, although Garrod (1876) described it as incomplete; possibly his specimen was a young bird. Fig. 1: Lateral views of skulls of (a) Deroptyus accipitrinus (b) Amazona aestiva. The most notable modifications are those of the occipital region, the large telative size and posterior protrusion of the exoccipital processes being equalled only be a few genera of very large parrots (Nestor, Strigops, Probos- ciger, Anodorhynchus, Ara). The modifications increase the area available for the insertion of the muscles concerned with turning and raising the head, | which are particularly important for sideways wrenching movements used in | [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] 72 detaching fruits. The muscle most affected is M. rectus capitis lateralis, which is inserted on the posterior edge of the exoccipital process and arises from the hypapophyses of vertebrae 2, 3, 4 and 5 in Deroptyus, but from 2, 3 and 4 only in a specimen of Amazona guildingi. The sites of origin of the remaining muscles show no special modification—in both Deroptyus and Amazona guildingii their vertebrae of origin are as follows: M. complexus—4 and 5; M. splenius capitis—z2; M. biventer cervicis—origin via a long tendon from the thoracic region. The cervical vertebrae of Deroptyus are relatively shorter but wider than in Amazona. The overall effect of these jaw and cranium features is to confer on Derop- tyus a considerably more powerful feeding apparatus relative to its body size than in Amazona. Although the two genera are probably broadly similar in ecology, these basic differences in morphology make any close relationship seem unlikely. Discerning their true affinities is more difficult and osteology alone can only partially help (see Thompson (1900) and Berlioz (1941) for discussion of the problems involved). Deroptyus has perhaps evolved relatively rapidly from a stock of generally smaller parrots to exploit larger food items. E. McL’s observations indicate similarities to Pzonites, while Low (1972) points out resemblances to Pyrrhura conures. Forshaw (1973) also sug- gests these genera as possible relatives. Further study of the ecology and behaviour of this interesting species would clearly be well worthwhile. The nests described were shown to E. McL. by Jaap Langenburg, and Tom Elek. Youell Scott supplied details of one which McL. did not see. Information on its feeding was given by Alvaro Sarmento. To all of them we acknowledge our grateful thanks. References: Berlioz, J. 1941. Recherches osteologiques sur le crane de perroquets. Osean Revue fr. Orn, II: 17-36. Forshaw, J. M. 1973. Parrots of the World. Melbourne, Lansdowne. Garrod, A. H. 1876. Notes on the anatomy of certain parrots. Proc. zool. Soc. Lond: 691-692. Low, Rosemary. 1972. The Parrots of South America. London, John Gifford. McLoughlin, E. 1970. Field notes on the breeding and diet of some South American parrots. Foreign Birds 36: 169-171, 210-213. Mudge, G. P. 1903. On the myology of the tongue of parrots, with a classification of the order, based upon the structure of the tongue. Trans. zool. Soc. Lond. 16: 211-278. Peters, J. L. 1937. Check-list of Birds of the World, vol. 3. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard. Thompson, D. W. 1900. On characteristic points in the cranial osteology of the parrots. Proc. zool. Soc. Lond. (1899): 9-46. Address: British Museum (Natural History), Tring, Herts, England. Variation in juvenile plumage of Centropus toulou toulou (Miiller) and Centropus toulou insularis Ridgway by Rebecca Woodell Received 16 March 1976 Centropus toulou toulou is known only from Madagascar. The subspecies C. 7. insularis occurs on Aldabra Atoll. The only other subspecies, C. 4. assump- tionis Nicoll, from Assumption Island, is believed extinct (Stoddart ef a/. 1970). Skins of juvenile C. ¢. soulou and C. ¢. insularis in the collections of the British Museum (Natural History), American Museum of Natural History and the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle were recently examined. Two different juvenile plumage types were found, which are described below. Names of colours were obtained from Smithe (1975). | | | | . 73 [Bull, B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] One type (Fig. 1a) is dusky brown with some black on the upperparts, heavily barred buff-yellow on the mantle, merging into dense, more cinnamon- rufous speckling on the crown. The wings and upper wing-coverts are barred cinnamon-rufous and dusky brown. The tail and tail-coverts are dusky brown barred buff-yellow with a green wash. The underparts are heavily barred buff-yellow and dusky brown becoming darker on the abdomen. The second type is best represented by the single Aldabra bird (Fig. 1d). It is darker, more nearly black on the upperparts than the first type and the Figure 1 Juvenile plumage types of Centropus toulou Left to right :— (a) Barred type from Imerina in the Humid East of Madagascar (Rand 1936). (b) Intermediate type from Maromandia on the northern edge of the Western Savanna close to the humid Sambiro District of Madagascar (Rand 1936). (c) Speckled type also from Maromandia. (d) Speckled type from Aldabra. (Photo: S. R. J. Woodell) mantle is speckled, not barred, with cream rather than cinnamon-rufous. Like the first type, it is speckled on the crown, but the markings are finer. The wings and wing-coverts are a colour between cinnamon-rufous and russet, barred with dusky brown. On the underparts differentiation between the two types is much less well defined, but the Aldabra bird has the mark- ings on the throat and chest mote striated, less barred in pattern. Tail barrings varied considerably, without consistent differences in the two types. Both types show barring on the upper back, least so in the speckled birds, especially the Aldabra one. [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] 74 Intermediates occur between these two types. These are speckled on the head and mantle with cinnamon or cinnamon-rufous rather than cream, and may also show dense speckling on the crown. Those specimens examined for which localities were given were sorted into representatives from humid and dry regions (Table 1). Co-ordinates were obtained from The Times Atlas of the World (1968), those for Ankafana (now Tsarafidy) and Imerina were kindly supplied by Mr. C. W. Benson. Other information was obtained from Rand (1936) and Farrow (1971). TABLE 1 Relationship of juvenile plumage types of Centropus toulou to climate Locality Coordinates Biotic Division Specimen No. Notes of Madagascar and date Speckled plumage Aldabra, Middle Island, 9°24’S 46°20’E (Savanna?) Brit. Mus. Fig. 1, (d) East Channel (from Collectors 1968.43.96 label) 21 Jan. 1968 Ampotaka 25°02’S 44°40’E Sub-desert Brit. Mus. 1931.8.18.482 18 Mar. 1930 Maroantsetra 15°23’S 49°44’E Humid East Brit. Mus. Advanced 1931.8.18.51 moult 9 May 1930 Maromandia 14°10’S 48°06’E Western Savanna AMNH 411491_ Fig. 1, (c) © (1 day East) (Maromandia) 19 Jan. 1931 Maromandia 14°10’S 48°06’E Western Savanna Brit. Mus. (1 day East) 1931.8.18.496 19 Jan. 1931 Intermediate plumage Maromandia 14°10’S 48°06’E Western Savanna MNHN Paris Fig. 1, (b) (1 day East) C.G. 1932 956 25 Jan. 1931 Maromandia 14°10’S 48°06’/E Western Savanna MNHN Paris (1 day East) C.G. 1932 952 27 Jan. 1931 Namaroka 16°05’S 45°21’E Western Savanna MNHN Paris (1 day S. of (Soalala) C.G. 1932, 965 Soalala) 12 Mar. 1931 Barred plumage Imerina c. 19°S.48°E Humid East AMNH 627833 Not fully Feb. 1896 grown Probably nestling Imerina c. 19°S 48° Humid East AMNH 627834 Not fully Feb. 1896 grown Probably nestling Ankafana (now 21°09’S 47°10’E Humid East Brit. Mus. Fig. 1, (a) Tsarafidy) 88.12.10.768 Feb. 1881 1 The biotic divisions of Madagascar are taken from Rand (1936: 215). 2 For a discussion of the climatic classification of Aldabra see Farrow (1971: 69). The cli- mate of Aldabra is compared with that of Diego Suatez which is located in Rand’s Northern Savanna region of Madagascar. Of the four Madagascar specimens from Maromandia, which is on the border between the humid Sambirano District and the Western Savanna, two ate speckled (Fig. 1c) and two are intermediate (Fig. 1b). The bird from Namaroka, in the Western Savanna is also intermediate. The Maroantsetra 75 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] specimen is much advanced in moult, but it appears speckled rather than barred, and its darker colouring more closely resembles the speckled birds. Possibly additional specimens would reveal barred birds from this humid locality. The remaining five juvenile specimens have no localities given, but they should also be mentioned as they show similar plumage variation. These are Brit. Mus. 90.1.30.26 and AMNH 627844 which are barred, AMNH 627847 and AMNH 627848 which are speckled and Brit. Mus. 67.5.24.8 which is intermediate. It appears that this difference in juvenile plumages of C. soulou is a geographical variation, the barred type being associated with the humid eastern regions of Madagascar and the speckled type with the drier western regions and Aldabra. Alternatively, it is possible that in certain habitats dark plumage is most suitable whereas in others a more contrasting light and dark pattern, whether speckled or barred, is more important for camouflage. This could help to explain why the birds from Maromandia (Fig. 1, b, c) both speckled and intermediate, are generally darker and less contrasting in colour than either (a) from the Humid East, which is barred or (d) from Aldabra, which is speckled. In humid Maroantsetra dark, less contrasting plumage may be the important factor rather than the plumage pattern itself. Further study would be worthwhile. Acknowledgements I am especially grateful to Mr. C. W. Benson for his interest and advice and for his invaluable personal information concerning Madagascar localities. I wish to thank Dr. David Snow of the British Museum (Natural History) for making the facilities at Tring available to me, and M. Christian Erard of the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle and Mr. John Farrand Jr. of the American Museum of Natural History for sending material. Mr. Farrand was most helpful when I visited the Museum. My husband and Dr. R. Hnatiuk offered much helpful comment. References: Farrow, G. E. 1971. The climate of Aldabra Atoll. Phi/. Trans. Roy. Soc. London B. 260: 67-91. Rand, A. L. 1936. The distribution and habits of Madagascar birds. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 72: 143-499. Smithe, Frank B. 1975. Naturalist?s Color Guide. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., New York. Stoddart, D. R., Benson, C. W. & Peake, J. F. 1970. Ecological change and effects of phosphate mining on Assumption Island. A/o// Res. Bull. 136: 121-145. The ne Atlas of the World. Comprehensive Edition. 1968. The Times Newspapets, London. Address: Quince Cottage, Oakley, Aylesbury, Bucks. HP18 9QT. Layard’s extralimital records in his Birds of South Africa and in the South African Museum by R. K. Brooke Received 22 January 1976 The small print in Layard’s Birds of South Africa (1867) contains records of species collected or observed in the Atlantic Ocean, the Southern Ocean, the Indian Ocean, their islands and the east coast of Africa. These records do not appear to have been noticed by any subsequent writers on the avifaunas of any of these areas, including Reichenow (1900-1905) on Africa, Rand (1936) on Madagascar, Jackson & Sclater (1938) on Kenya, Frade (1953 a, b) on [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] 76 Mozambique, Benson (1960) on the Comoros, Watson ef a/. (1963) on the Indian Ocean islands, and Bannerman & Bannerman (1968) on the Cape Verde Islands. The purpose of this communication is to draw future workers’ attention to so obscure a source of records — records which may indicate changes in distribution or abundance in certain species. Layard himself (pp. 21, 54) believed that there had been at least a great increase in the numbers of Htrundo rustica wintering in South Africa after 1840. He also gives several records from Sri Lanka, but since he published separately on the avifauna of Ceylon, those records can probably be found there. Layard’s journey through the Southern and Indian Oceans (pp. 331, 358, 360, 365) was made in the survey frigate H.M.S. Castor under the command of his friend, Commodore, later Rear-Admiral, H. D. Trotter who com- manded the Cape of Good Hope station 1854-1857 (Laughton 1899). By deduction, the voyage was made in the second half of 1856 and early 1857. Layard had been appointed Curator of the South African Museum in Cape Town in December 1854 and was in Cape Town in January 1856 (Barry 1975). Trotter returned to the United Kingdom in mid 1857 (Laughton 1899). Southern Ocean sea birds were obtained off the Cape in 1856 (p. 360) and off Mozambique (see below), which implies Layard’s presence there between July and October; and Palaearctic waders were obtained in Kenya in winter plumage (see below) which implies his presence there between Octo- ber and February. The second half of 1856 and early 1857 is thus the only time during which Layard and Trotter could have made the journey. Some, at least, of the specimens went to the South African Museum. I am advised by Prof. J. M. Winterbottom (in /itt.) that none can now be found, but that in 1879 the then Curator, Roland Trimen, compiled a manuscript Catalogue of Foreign Birds in the museum. Prof. Winterbottom has listed for me those species noted as received from the voyage of H.M.S. Castor and some of the species are the same as those mentioned by Layard. Barry (1975) states that “Layard came back laden with shells, bird skins and insects” from that voyage in the western Indian Ocean. P. J. Morgan of the Liverpool Museum has advised C. W. Benson (zn /itt.) that no Layard specimens of the 1850s and 1860s were ever received there, though material collected in the 1870s came there via Canon H. B. Tristram’s collection. I now list Layard’s extralimital records by areas but with modernized — nomenclature. For records mentioned in Layard (1867) the page number is given; for specimens listed by Roland Trimen SAM (South African Museum) is given to indicate the source. ATLANTIC OCEAN Daption capense (p. 361). One seen at 3°N in November 1866 while returning to South Africa from leave in England: a vagrant so far north. Puffinus assimilis(SAM) Fregetta grallaria (SAM) yn the South Atlantic. Neopbhron percnopterus (p. 4). Common breeding species in the Cape Verde Islands. SOUTHERN OCEAN | Diomedea exulans and D. chrysostomus (both SAM and pp. 363, 364-365). | Eggs of D. exulans received from Crozet and Tristan da Cunha Islands. Skins — of both species were obtained but without details except that Layard states that one of chrysostomus was obtained “off the South Coast”. 77 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] Fregetta grallaria (SAM and pp. 358-359). Includes a specimen from _ nearly 500 km west of Cape Town, May 1867. From Layard’s description clearly this species, not F. ¢ropica. Fulmarus glacialoides; Pterodroma lessonii; P. incerta; P. mollis; P. macroptera and Procellaria aequinoctialis (all SAM, at 32°46’S., 59°13’E., also p. 360 for _ P. macroptera). Pachyptila vittata and P. desolata (both SAM, at 40°20’S., 41°00’E.). Of the four Pterodroma spp. Layard mentions only P. macroptera in his _ book, and states specifically (p. 361) that he had never seen a specimen of | Fulmarus glacialoides. Yet on pp. 360 and 365 he states that he sailed the Cape seas in H.M.S. Castor and obtained Prerodroma macroptera and Diomedea _ chrysostoma. However, Layard wrote to years after the event, and his duties ' as a civil servant precluded museum work except for one day per week (Barry 1975). _ INDIAN OCEAN | (1) KENYA COAST | Ardea leucoptera (p. 309). A synonym of Ardeo/a, the squacco herons, but | it is not possible to say whether he was referring to A. ra/loides, A. idae or even some species of Lgretta or Bubulcus: no specimens were, apparently, - collected. Butorides striatus (p. 309). Collected. Leptoptilos crumeniferus (p. 316). Often seen. Circaetus gallicus pectoralis (p. 15). Two collected on Fazi Island and others seen along the coast in pairs. Milvus migrans parasitus (p. 26). Seen. Aeryllium vulturinum (SAM). Two specimens. Pluvialis squatarola (p. 295). Many collected in non-breeding plumage. P. apricaria (p. 296). Probably P. dominica, since there is no other record of P. apricaria in Africa (see Backhurst e¢ a/. 1973): Lamu northwards. Numenius arquata (p. 322). Widespread. Layard and a Lieut Suttee found a massed flock of waders on a mudbank at Fazi Island, so they approached and each discharged both barrels of their fowling pieces. The majority of birds killed and recovered, enough to fill a naval bread bag, were Calidris ferruginea (p. 331), but C. minuta, C. alba, Tringa erythropus, T. nebularia were also obtained, and Charadrius alexandrinus, probably the migratory nominate race rather than the sparse resident pons, since the other species were all Palaearctic migrants. T. erythropus is the only Palaearctic migrant mentioned by Layard at Fazi to be discussed by Back- hurst e¢ a/. (1973), who believed that the first specimen from Kenya was obtained in 1953. Dromas ardeola (p. 372). Widespread; SAM held two specimens from Lamu. Tockus alboterminatus (SAM) Collected from Kisilu- Collyrio corvinus (=Lanius collurio?)(SAM) ff dini, just north of Kilifi. (2) TANZANIA COAST Ardea leucoptera (p. 309). Butorides striatus (p. 309). Collected. Leptoptilos crumeniferus (p. 316). Circaetus gallicus pectoralis (p. 15). Terathopius ecaudatus (p. 18). Milvus migrans parasitus (p. 26). Plwialis squatarola (p. 295). Collected. Numenius arquata (p. 322). Dromas ardeola (p. 372 and SAM). [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] 78 (3) ZANZIBAR Nectarinia senegalensis (p. 80). Common, two specimens in SAM. Ploceus (Hyphantornis) sp. (SAM). (4) MozAMBIQUE COAST Procellaria aequinoctialis (p. 360). Not rare. Oceanites oceanicus (SAM). Ardea leucoptera (p. 309). Butorides striatus (p. 309). Collected. Leptoptilos crumeniferus (p. 316). Collected at the mouth of the Zambezi River. Dendrocygna viduata (p. 350). Common on the lower Zambezi. Milvus migrans parasitus (p. 26). Terathopius ecaudatus (p. 18). A live bird, presented by the Governor of Mozambique Town, proved to be a great eater of hens’ eggs when kept in a Cape Town fowl run: this bird, or another from Mozambique, was prepared as a specimen for SAM. Pluvialis squatarola (p. 295). Collected. Numenius arquata (p. 322). Dromas ardeola (p. 372). Nectarinia violacea (p. 79). Building a nest in a beachside Casuarina tree at Cabo Delgado. The species intended is obscure since the distinctive N. violacea is restricted to the southwest of the Cape Province of South Africa where Layard (same page) knew it well. N. senegalensis (pp. 79 and 80). Collected while building a nest in a beach- side Casuarina at Cabo Delgado. (5) Comoro IsLANDs Butoridess triatus (p. 309). Collected. Circus spilonotus macrosceles (p. 35), sub nom. C’.. cinerascens = C. pygargus; but the specimen that Layard mentions from Anjouan was listed in SAM as C. maillardii (= macrosceles), and he adds that the species was common, as Benson (1960) also found; so that a vagrant C. pygargus from the Comoros is ruled out. (6) MADAGASCAR Egretta gularis (p. 307). Collected in Boyana Bay on the northwest coast. E. ardesiaca (SAM). Dendrocygna viduata (p. 350 and SAM). Abundant in the swamps and rice- fields and very easy of approach. Larus novaehollandiae (SAM). A species restricted to the western Cape and Australasia and presumably an error for L. cirrocephalus in non-breeding plumage, which then resembles it closely. L. cirrocephalus does occur in Madagascar (Rand 1936). Dryolimnas cuvieri, Coracopsis nigra, Agapornis cana and Eurystomus glaucurus also held by SAM. On pp. 155 and 245 Layard discussed the Malagasy provenance of some of Levaillant’s allegedly South African species. (7) Mauritius Puffinus pacificus chororhynchus, Phagtiee lepturus, Butorides striatus (also p. 79 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] 309), Francolinus pintadeanus, Aerodramus francicaus and Coracina typica, all held by SAM. Terpsiphone bourbonnensis (p. 146). Nest with c/3 collected. (8) Rounp IstAND, Mauritius Puffinus pacificus chlororhynchus, two specimens of Phaethon rubricauda, two specimens of Sw/a dactylatra, all held by SAM. Fregata minor (SAM). Not recorded from the Mauritius group by Watson et al. (1963), though Benson (1970) records specimens collected in 1865. Sterna fuscata (SAM). (9) SANDy IsLAND, RODRIGUEZ Sula sula (SAM). S. dactylatra (SAM). Not recorded here by Watson e¢ a/. (1963), though regarded as probably occurring by Bourne (1968). Larus novaehollandiae (= cirrocephalus) (SAM). Not recorded here by Watson ef a/. (1963). Anous stoldidus, A. tenuirostris, Gygis alba, all held by SAM. The three terns are still present on Sandy Island (Gill 1967). (10) FARQUHAR IsLAND, PROVIDENCE BANK Fregata minor (SAM). Two specimens. Bubulcus ibis (SAM). One specimen. Larus novaehollandiae (= cirrocephalus) (SAM). One specimen. Sterna sumatrana, S. caspia, Gygis alba, all held by SAM, one specimen of each. F. minor, B. ibis, L. cirrocephalus and S. caspia are not recorded for the Providence Bank group by Watson e¢ a/. (1963), but Stoddart & Poore (1970) and Parker (1970) do record F. minor and B. ibis. The visit of H.M.S. Castor to Farquhar Island is not mentioned by Stoddart & Poore (1970) in their account of its history. It is curious that no Larus spp. are recorded by any modern writer for islands in the western Indian Ocean. One is tempted to doubt the records from Farquhar and Sandy Islands in the 1850s, but there is no positive evidence compelling doubt other than the lack of records for the last 20 yeats, a period of intensive study of the avifauna of these islands. I am obliged to Prof. J. M. Winterbottom for data on specimens formerly held by the South African Museum, Cape Town, to Dr. F. R. Fosberg for a copy of Afo//. Res. Bull. 136, to Mr. C. W. Benson for help with the literature, a critique of a draft of this paper and, indeed, urging that it be written. References: Backhurst, G. C., Britton, P. L. & Mann, C. F. 1973. The less common palaearctic migrant birds of Kenya and Tanzania. Journ. E. Afr. Nat. Hist. Soc. Natn. Mus. 140: 1-38. Bannerman, D. A. & Bannerman, W. M. 1968. History of the birds of the Cape Verde Islands. Edinburgh, Oliver & Boyd. Barry, T. H. 1975. 150 years—an assessment. Samab 11: 249-260. Benson, C. W. 1960. The birds of the Comoro Islands. Jbis 103b: 5—106. — ge The Cambridge collection from the Malagasy Region. Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. go: 168-172. Bourne, W. R. P. 1968. The birds of Rodriguez, Indian Ocean. [bis 110: 338-344. Frade, F. 1953a. Aves coligidas pela missao zoologica de Mocambique. Anais Junta Miss. Geogr. Invest. Colon. vol. 6(4), fasc. 3. — : 2 a Catalogo das aves de Mocambique. Anais Junta Miss. Geogr. Invest. Colon. vol. 4), fasc. 4. Gill, F. B. 1967. Birds of Rodriguez Island (Indian Ocean). [bis 109: 383-390. [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(2)] 80 Jackson, F. J. & Sclater, W. L. 1938. The birds of Kenya Colony and the Uganda Protectorate, vols. 1-3. London, Gurney & Jackson. Laughton, J. K. 1899. “Trotter, Henry Dundas.” Dictionary of national biography 57: 252- 254. London, Smith, Elder. Layard, E. L. 1867. The birds of South Africa. Cape Town, Juta. Parker, I. S. C. 1970. Some ornithological observations from the western Indian Ocean. Abtoll. Res. Bull. 136: 211-220. Rand, A. L. 1936. The distribution and habits of Madagascar birds. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 72: 143-499. Reichenow, A. 1900-1905. Die Vogels Afrikas, vols. 1-3, Neudamm, Neumann. Stoddart, D. R. & Poore, M. E. D. 1970. Geography and ecology of Farquhar Atoll. Afo// Res, Bull. 136: 7-26. Watson, G. R., Zusi, R. L. & Storer, R. E. 1963. Preliminary field guide to the birds of the Indian Ocean. Washington, Smithsonian Inst. Present address: Box 1690, Salisbury, Rhodesia. IN BRIEF (a) Caprimulgus sericocaudatus mengeli subsp. nov. I regret that I made an error in transcribing the locality of the type of the subspecies Caprimulgus sericocaudatus mengeli in Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 95 (1): 19. Under “Type...” the locality cited should be 59km west, not east, of Pucallpa. 29 March 1976 Robert W. Dickerman Cornell University Medical College 1300 York Avenue New York, New York 10021 (b) Vagrant Lapwings Vanellus spp. in Brunei A single Lapwing Vanellus vanellus was observed for 10-15 minutes through a8 X 30 monocular at distances down to 15 m at 17.15 hours on 11 January 1976 on a flooded grassy area, known as G14 of the Shell concession area, Seria, State of Brunei. The bird was in typical winter plumage, and had a large crest. There appear to be no other records in Borneo, and it is usually considered that the species’ southernmost winter quarters range southwards from eastern China and westwards to north and central Burma. This indi- vidual was thus 15° south of its usual range. On 28 November 1974 a Grey-headed Lapwing Vanellus cinereus had appeared on the same plot of land. This was first sighted by myself and later confirmed by Mr. D. Griffin and also photographed. It is a species which normally winters from south Japan through southeast China and the Indo- Chinese countries to India. I believe that such vagrants are the victims of the — monsoons from November to January and are literally swep southwards out might be ascribed to the same conditions. ‘ 2 February 1976 " ree +, AA P. Smith Brunei Shell Petroleum Co. Ltd. a a aoa PURC ~H ASE D: Es) Seria, State of Brunei, Borneo. Oo fe Saat ahs, a> eS) ae : c. ™ : — ae rik x > At hoe mes a +f : oe) Se, 5 a re pe 8 ~® -_ : | he! ay * fe “A 125 J J pan: 15 : le x Pr eisteey 1 DacH! Siete pee ey * an ‘ NOTICE TO CONTRIBUTORS Papers, whether by Club Members or by non-members, should be sent to the Editor, Dr. J. F. Monk, The Glebe Cottage, Goring, Reading RG8 9AP, and ate accepted on the understanding that they are offered solely for publication in the Bulletin. They should be typed on one side of the paper, with double- spacing and a wide margin, and submitted in duplicate. Scientific nomenclature and the style and lay-out of papers and of Refer- ences should conform with usage in this or recent issues of the Bulletin, unless a departure is explained and justified. Photographic illustrations although welcome can only be accepted if the contributor is willing to pay for their reproduction. An author wishing to introduce a new name or describe a new form should append nom., gen., sp. 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MEMBERSHIP Only Members of the British Ornithologists’ Union are eligible to join the Club: applications should be sent to the Hon. Treasurer, M. St. J. Sugg, Homecroft, Sandford Orcas, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 48D, together with the current year’s subscription (£3 +50). The remittance and all other payments to the Club should always be in ster/ing unless an addition is made to cover bank charges for exchange, etc. Payment of subscription entitles a Member to receive all Bulletins for the year. Changes of address and revised bankers’ orders or covenants (and any other correspondence concerning Membership) should be sent to the Hon. Treasurer as promptly as possible. SUBSCRIPTION TO BULLETIN The Bulletin may be purchased by non-members on payment of an annual subscription of {4-50 (postage and index free). Send all orders and remit- tances in sterling, unless an addition is made to cover bank charges, to the Hon. Treasurer. Single issues may be obtained as back numbers (see above). CORRESPONDENCE Correspondence about Club meetings and other matters not mentioned above should go to the Hon. Secretary, R. E. F. Peal, 24 Creighton Avenue, London N10 1NU. Published by the BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB and printed by The Caxton and Holmesdale Press, 104 London Road Sevenoaks Kent. x ISSN 0007 - 1595 63 NTIS Bulletin of the Ne British Ornithologists’ Club Edited by Dr. J. F. MONK Volume 96 No.3 : September 1976 FORTHCOMING MEETINGS Tuesday, 16 November 1976 at 6.30 p.m. for 7 p.m. at the Senior Common Room, South Side, Imperial College, South Kensington (entrance in Princes Gardens, S.W.7, off Exhibition Road). Dr. H. N. Southern will speak on the Tawny Owl. Tuesday, 18 January 1977 at the Goat Tavern, 3 Stafford Street, London, W.1. Dr. Peter Ward will speak on Palaearctic migrants in INigeria. Tuesday, 15 March 1977. Mr. J. M. Forshaw, the author of the well-known monograph on parrots, will speak on the ecology of parrots in Australia and their adaptations to changing environments. Tuesday, 3 May 1977. A symposium on Asiatic birds. COMMITTEE J. H. Elgood (Chairman) P. Hogg (Vice-Chairman) R. E. F. Peal (Alon. Secretary) M. St. J. Sugg (Hon. Treasurer) Dr. J. F. Monk ( Editor) Mrs. J. D. Bradley Dr. C. J. O. Hatrison C, E. Wheeler Dr. G. Beven 81 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] Bulletin of the BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB Vol. 96 No. 3 Published: 20 September 1976 The seven hundred and first meeting of the Club was held at the Goat Tavern, 3 Stafford Street, London, W.1, at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, 20 July 1976. Chairman: Professor J. H. Elgood: present 16 members and 5 guests. Mr. Robert Gillmor spoke on Bird Illustration. He described the develop=~ ment up to the present time of the art of depicting birds and showed slides with outstanding examples of bird drawings and paintings. Breeding records of Hemprich’s Hornbill : %, Tockus hemprichii in Tigrai, Ethiopia Ne by L. H. Brown Received 23 December 1975 The nest of Hemprich’s Hornbill Tockus hemprichii had not been adequately described until one found in the cliffs above Lake Langano, Ethiopia, in April 1970 was described by Urban ef a/. (1970). In Tigrai in 1975 three more definite nests were found, and one probable one, all in rock sites, as follows: (i) On 15 Oct 75, ina vertical cliff near the base of Debre Zhion mountain, near Dugum, a nest was found about 15 cm inside a hole about 12 m from the base of the sandstone cliff. The hole had been visibly plastered, apparently with reddish mud, with a narrow oval slit in the centre. The male was seen to present a large grasshopper to another bird in the nest, which was inac- cessible, but from the absence of any droppings round the entrance it presumably contained a female with eggs. In this case the eggs would have been laid in late September or early October. (it) In a sandstone cliff near Dugum 17 Oct 75 there was a nest which could not be closely examined because it was screened by forest and the entrance not properly visible from immediately below. It was about 10 m above the base of the cliff in a long vertical crack and under a large overhang, and contained young, which were watched being fed by the female, recognisable by her smaller size and smaller, more slender beak. The young emitted loud yelping cries, so presumably were large. Since Urban ef a/. (1970) estimated that the female remained in the hole for 60-70 days after laying, the eggs from which these young hatched would probably have been laid in early August, perhaps late July. The female was flying strongly and not obviously in moult. (iii) On 31 Oct 75 a nest was found at Romanat, near Makelle, in a hole in a rock face above a small cave, at about 4 m from the base of a travertine cliff. The hole could be examined closely from immediately opposite on another rock, and was seen to turn into the cliff at an angle, the plastered entrance being heavily spattered with droppings. The male fed other birds in the hole at about 16.30 hrs with a skink, Mabuya sp. He had difficulty in maintaining a purchase on the entrance ledge, and flew to and from the hole at least 15 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] 82 times in about five minutes, sometimes delivering food when he was able to stay for a few seconds, and sometimes overbalancing and failing. High pitched yelps, and querulous deeper squealing calls suggested that both female and young were in the hole. The skink was gradually reduced in size in successive visits, as pieces were presumably bitten off by the bird being fed. However, the male eventually departed with the head and part of the body, calling the normal piping “‘Pi-pi-pi-pioh” as he left. In this nest, eggs were probably laid in September. (iv) A male flew up to a narrow slit in a travertine cliff in the Giba river valley on 21 Sep 75. He had a small lizard, but it was not taken by any bird in the hole, and he then flew 30 m and probably ate it himself. However, his behaviour was consistent with the likelihood of a female in the hole, which was inaccessible. In all instances where feeding was seen the feeding bird stayed only a few seconds at the aperture; if the food was not immediately accepted it was taken away again. These records all suggest that in Tigrai, Tockus hemprichii breeds mainly or only in cliff sites, resembling in this respect Monteiro’s Hornbill T. monteiri in South West Africa (Kemp & Kemp) 1972 and that it is a rock breeder, since there were trees which could have been used at all the sites if preferred. Laying must take place from August to October, late in the main rains or just after. Young would normally emerge in November, at the beginning of the main dry season, but when insect life at least is still abundant. As in other Tockus spp. the female evidently emerges when the young are part-grown, © and then assists in feeding the brood. The eggs of Hemprich’s s Hornbill have apparently still to be described. References: Kemp, A. C. & Kemp, M. I. 1972. A study of the biology of Monteiro’s Hornbill. Avan. Transv. Mus. 27: 255-268. Urban, E. K., Brown, L. H., Buer, C. E. & Plage, G. D. 1970. Four descriptions of nesting previously undescribed from Ethiopia. Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 90(6): 162-164. Address: Box 24916, Karen, Kenya. The tendinal canals of the hypotarsi as a taxonomic character of water birds by C. J. O. Harrison Received 12 January 1976 The long digit flexor tendons of the legs of birds, where they pass down the back of the leg over the tarsal joint, are held in place at the upper end of the tarsometatarsus by grooves in a posteriorly-projecting structure, the hypotarsus. Bands of cartilaginous tissue may roof over or subdivide these grooves, creating covered canals for the tendons; or there may be a roof of bone so that the canals become holes passing through a bony hypotarsus. The arrangement of these grooves and apertures may help in the identifi- cation of the species, genus, family and sometimes the order from which the hypotarsus originates, and this is particularly useful in avian fossils, since the proximal end of the tarsometatarsus is a solid structure which is often preserved when other bones have been destroyed. Identification of such A Cae IW oe 2 6 So amt eh 83 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] fossil specimens is, however, usually difficult because of abrasion of the roofed portions of canals and the more prominent parts of the calcaneal ridges between them. No systematic study of these canals appears to have been made. In general, comparative osteological studies have been limited to a single order at most, and often only to small taxa or single species. Newton (1896) commented, with reservations, on the taxonomic value of the hypotarsus but only referred to some general similarities, while other authors of general works on birds have paid it little attention. To help identify the bones of fossil water birds the hypotarsal structure of Recent birds of a similar type was also noted. In the Sphenisciformes, Gaviiformes, Podicipediformes, Procel- lariiformes, Pelecaniformes, Ciconiiformes, Anseriformes, and Charadrii- formes the hypotarsal structure is fairly elaborate in most families (Fig. 1), the only other order with comparable complexity being the Passeriformes (Fig. 2), and this group of orders forms a suitable unit for comparisons. Many orders show more structural dissimilarities from each other in the hypotarsi than are apparent between families, and canals may be open or closed and differ in number. Such differences are presumably linked with variation in form and function of the hindlimb. Nevertheless there are consistencies in structure within an order which are listed later. Within a family there is usually a consistent and recognisable pattern, but there are often small differences which make it possible to differentiate at the generic level (e.g. Fig. 1, E4—5, Eq-10), and rarely more marked dissimilarities (Fig. 1, A1—z). Sometimes consistent differences are recognisable even at the species level (e.g. Fig. 1, D1-3, F3—4). Within these taxa the hypotarsal structure can be a useful character for identifying tarsometatarsi. The tendinal canals are not the only feature affecting hypotarsal shape. Muscles such as the M. flexor hallucis brevis and M. abductor digiti II originate on, and may modify the calcaneal ridges. Owre (1967), for instance, shows that the considerable development of the external calcaneal ridge of the Phalacrocoracidae (Fig. 1, D7) and Anhingidae (Fig. 1, Ds) is correlated with the fact that it serves as an area of insertion for the muscles providing the power-stroke in swimming. In the birds of the orders studied the presence of several closed canals appears at times to be correlated with a more generalised overall structure; while more open canals and a more modified hypotarsus appear to be linked with greater specialisation, suggesting that the latter is a derived state. The presence of a large number of closed canals in a simple hypotarsus in the passerines may be related to this. The suboscine Superb Lyrebird Menura superba (Fig. 2, A) has six closed canals. The Raven Corvus corax (Fig. 2, B) has only five, one being constricted and apparently derived from two small canals, which arrangement occurs in other species; but four canals arranged in two pairs, as in the Dunnock Prunella modularis (Fig. 2, C), is more frequent. The Raven and Dunnock are typical perchers and hoppers while the Lyrebird is more terrestrial and may run like a gallinaceous bird. It could be argued that the possession of a large hypotarsus perforated by a number of canals, usual in the typical hopping and running birds, is a generalised avian condition; and that the hypotarsi of other birds show divergences from this, linked with modifications of the limb and its uses and involving the loss of covered canals. Fig. 1 shows the range of variation of hypotarsi within each of the orders studied, progressing from those with more closed canals to the derived [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] 84 D1 D2 D3 D4 OQ me) e) a a oO a CN CaN by ee, PAgtet t aS (-\ E1 E2 E3 1 E 4 E 5 F4 G3 (CePn af Fig. 1: Proximal views of right hypotarsi; the posterior side at top. A. PROCELLARII- FORMES. At Pelecanoides urinatrix, Az Fulmarus glacialis, A3 Oceanodroma castro, \4 Diomedia melanophrys. B. PODICIPITIDAE. Bi Podilymbus podiceps, Bz Podiceps cristatus. C. GAVIIDAE. C1 Colymboides minutus (after Storer 1956), C2 Gavia immer. D, PELECANI- FORMES. D1 Pelecanus crispus, D2 Pelecanus occidentalis, D3 Pelecanus onocrotalus, D4 Balaeni- ceps rex, D5 Anhinga anhinga, D6 Sula dactylatra, D7 Phalacrocorax carbo, D8 Phaethon aethureus, Do Fregata aquila.E. CICONIIFORMES. Ex Botaurus stellaris,E2 Scopus umbretta, E3 Coch- 85 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] . oO re) ; Ten oN hom N | | H] H 2 H 3 . learius cochlearius, E4 Ardea cinerea, Es Nycticorax nycticorax, E6 Plegadis falcinellus,E7 Ajaja ajaja, E8 Geronticus calvus, Eg Dissouria episcopus, E10 Mycteria americana. F. CHARADRII- : FORMES. F1 Scolopax rusticolus, F2 Alca torda, F3 Cepphus grylle, F4 Numenius arquata, F5 | Larus argentatus, F6 Larus marinus, F7 Haematopus ostralegus, F8 Himantopus himantopus. G. ANSERIFORMES. G1 Dendrocygna viduata, G2 Anseranas semipalmata, G3 Biziura lobata, G4 Ayithya fuligula, G5 Cygnus columbianus. H. PHOENICOPTERIFORMES. Hi & Haz Palaeolodus ambiguus, H3 Phoenicopterus chilensis. 1. SPHENISCIFORMES. Pygostelis antarctica [ Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] ee A a Fig. 2: Proximal view of right hypotarsi of Passeriformes, the posterior side at the top. A Manura superba. B. Corvus corax. C Prunella modularis. &: ce) &: examples. Relative size was considered unimportant and individual figures ate not therefore comparable in size. They are arranged with the posterior side of the hypotarsus at the top. Despite variations, some general consistency, as well as difference, is apparent in the patterns of canals within orders, and this might be used as an ordinal character. Although, among water birds, the extinct, diver-like toothed birds, the Hesperornithidae, and the other toothed birds, the Ichthyornithidae, both of the Cretaceous, lack a prominent hypotarsus and show no evidence of grooves or ridges, Recent water birds have a definite hypotarsus with typically four or fewer canals. Of the more complex hypotarsi, those of the Charadriiformes (Fig. 1, F) and Anseriformes (G) are comparatively similar, but in the former I recognise three posterior and one anterior canal, (Fr), and in the latter one posterior and three anterior (Gr, G3). In the Pelecaniformes (D), the Pelecanidae show two posterior canals, one posterior to the other, and two anterior, although in addition the last pair may be bordered by a well-defined external groove. In the Ciconiiformes (E), the Ardeidae (E1, E3, E4, Es) show one posterior and two anterior canals. The Procellariiformes (A) have two anterior canals, with an indi- cation of two incomplete open canals posterior to these in Pelecanoides (A1). The Podicipediformes (B) are atypical, with two or three posterior and one large and centrally sited anterior canal; while in the Gaviiformes (C) at least three canals coalesce into one large hole enclosed in an arch formed by the convergence of a pair of large calcaneal ridges. The antithesis of the latter is shown by the Sphenisciformes (I) in which the broad, flat tarsometatarsus bears two small prominences with a wide and shallow double canal between them. These generalisations, however, cease to be apparent in the more extremely modified examples, although classification is aided by knowing some of the intervening stages of modification. For example, on the characters used here it would be difficult to link the Phaethontidae (D8) or Fregatidae (Dg) with other pelecaniform families, or the Black-winged Stilt (F8) with other Charadriiformes. Within the orders studied there are several small taxa of uncertain affinities for which any evidence of relationship is important. The Hammerkop Scopus umbretta belongs to a monotypic family usually thought to be close to the storks. The distinctive hypotarsus (Fig. 1, Ez) with two closed canals and an open posterior one shows some similarities to those of herons such as C. cochlearius (E3) and Ardea cinerea (E4), but little obvious similarity to Ciconiidae (Eg-10). However, if a hypotarsus with a number of closed canals 87 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] is an earlier and more generalised structure, then the Hammerkop may be an instance in which an isolated species has retained a generalised condition. The Shoebill Balaeniceps rex, another species of uncertain affinities in a monotypic family, is usually regarded as ciconiiform; but Cottam (1957) showed that most of its osteological features resembled those of the Pelecaniformes, including the hypotarsus. The latter (D4) bears a strong resemblance to that of the White Pelican Pel/ecanus onocrotalus (D5), in which the posterior canals are reduced to a single groove. It could be argued, on the other hand, that the hypotarsus of Ba/aeniceps is a much more massive version of that found in the Boatbill Heron C. cochlearius (E3) of the Ciconiiformes. The Phoenicopteridae are usually placed in the Cicontiformes, although separation into a single-family order (Voous 1973) or association with the Anseriformes has also been proposed (Sibley e¢ a/. 1969). The hypotarsus (H3) consists of a pair of well-developed calcaneal ridges with a deep, complex groove between them. In the Charadriiformes, which show a wide range of variation in hypotarsal structure, 7. himantopus (F8) has a somewhat similar but more slender hypotarsus, representing the extreme in a trend of modification by which the more complex structure is reduced to two large calcaneal ridges in a laterally-compressed hypotarsus, with a single and deep complex groove derived from a group of tendinal canals between them. Since this species differs from other charadriiformes in its exceptionally long legs, and similar long legs are characteristic of the Phoenicopteridiae, and since the long-legged Threskiornithidae and Ciconiidae have stages in the develop- ment of a similar hypotarsus (E6-10), it is possible that such a structure represents a derived condition linked with function and likely to be evolved independently in a number of taxa. If so, then the affinities and possible derivation of the phoenicopterid hypotarsus might be found in a taxon other than the Ciconiiformes. The extinct family Palaeolodidae of the Oligocene and Miocene consists of long-legged and long-necked birds, possibly ancestral to the Phoenicopteri- dae, having a distinctive hypotarsus (H1-z) showing the apparently generalised condition with several closed canals. Some specimens lack a complete bridging of the canals (as in Hz). Modification of such hypotarsi by lateral compression and loss of bone between the canals might produce a structure resembling that of the Phoenicopteridae (H3), although a typical phoenicopterine hypotarsus with the deep single groove is already apparent in the Upper Oligocene flamingo Gervaisia croiseti. A similar reduction of bone between the canals and an increase in the size of the lateral ridges is apparent in a comparison of the Late Oligocene/Miocene diver Colymboides minutus (C1) with the Recent Great Northern Diver Gavia immer (C2). If the hypotarsus of Palaeolodus species is the precursor of that of the Phoenicopteridae, then any similarity of the former to those of other taxa might help to elucidate earlier affinities. If the incomplete ossification over the canals already apparent in the second Pa/aeolodus specimen shown (Hz) were catried a stage further the structure would then closely resemble that of the Woodcock Scolopax rusticolus (F1). Within the Anseriformes the nearest resemblance to Palaeolodus is that of the White-faced Tree Duck Dendrocygna viduata (G1), but this is less close than that of Scolopax. These apparent similarities might be evidence of affinity since an examination of the Telma- batidae (Harrison & Walker zn press) of the Lower Eocene reveals a probable [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] 88 link between Charadriiformes, Anseriformes and probably Phoenicopteridae at this period. These examples show that the hypotarsal structure may be a useful, though limited, taxonomic character by which to refer a species to a particular taxon and possibly indicate its affinities. There is some evidence at the ordinal level of similarities of the hypotarsus in families of known affinity. This may be of use for extinct species of unknown origin not referable to a Recent family and represented by only part of a skeleton; or for Recent species of unknown affinity it may provide clues to possible relationship which could help in a re-appraisal of their taxonomic position. References: Cottam, P. 1957. The Pelecaniform characters of the skeleton of the Shoe-bill Stork, Balaeniceps rex. Bull, Br. Mus. nat. Hist. (Zool) 5: 51-72. Harrison, C. J. O. & Walker, C. A. in press. Birds of the British Upper Eocene. J. Linn. Soc. Lond. Newton, A. 1896. A Dictionary of Birds. London: A. & C. Black. Owre, O. T. 1967. Adaptations for locomotion and feeding in the Anhinga and the Double- crested Cormorant. Orn. Monogr. 6: 1-138. Sibley, C. G., Corbin, K. W. & Haavie, J. H. 1969. The relationships of the Flamingos as indicated by the egg-white proteins and hemoglobins. Condor 71: 155-179. Storer, R. W. 1956. The fossil loon, Colymboides minutus. Condor 58: 413-426. . Voous, K. H. 1973. List of Recent Holarctic bird species, non-passerines. /bis 115 : 612-638. Address: British Museum (Naturai History), Tring, Herts. HP23 6AP. A record of White-winged Wood Duck Catrina scutulata in Sumatra by D. A. Holmes Received 19 March 1976 The White-winged Wood Duck Carina scutulata is probably reduced to near extinction over most of South-East Asia (Boonsong & Cronin 1974, Hoogerwerf 1970), but it still occurs in south Sumatra. Two were flushed from a swamp close to the Batang Hari river at Muara Bulian, west of Jambi in south Sumatra (1° 45’ S, 103° 15’ E) on 18 January 1976. The birds were seen again on four further visits during the following two weeks. The habitat was a swamp covering a total area of some 5o hectares that is used for low quality rice each year if water levels permit. The swamp carries a varying density of swamp grasses and sedges, some floating vegetation, and patches of both open water and of exposed mud. Scattered trees remain standing in the swamp, some of them dead, and dead logs lie on the surface. A grove of open woodland and secondary growth occupies one part of the swamp. The duck used these trees for perches but they would also fly off to the surrounding secondary forest and stands of poorly managed rubber. The swamp receives some slight disturbance from fishermen, buffalo herders, and occasional rice cultivation; but the bird life is probably never deliberately disturbed. The birds were shy when on the ground and readily put to flight. When perched in a tree, they were surprisingly well camou- flaged and were more approachable. In flight they called more or less continuously, a goose or crane-like honk, with which was often heard simultaneously a high whistled note 89 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] when both birds were flying together. This agrees with the description of Stanford (1931) writing of the Upper Chindwin district of Burma: “‘the drake and duck of two pairs seen here had separate notes, like Shelduck [presumably Zadorna tadorna] in the breeding season, the drake a low “‘cronk cronk” and the female a whistle, when on the wing”. The honking note reminded me of the West African Crowned Crane Balearica pavonina. Each visit was made between dawn and 09.00 in the morning or 17.00 and 18.00 in the evening, and one or both birds were each time flushed from the open swamp. The assumption that the birds were a pair is supported by the calls, although the size difference between the birds was not pronounced. The head and neck of the slightly larger bird were dirty white, and a clean white on the other, with some fine black speckling visible at close range. The plumage of the back in one and probably both birds was white, with heavy black mottling and barring, squarely demarcated from the black tail. The white wing coverts were prominent and contrasted strongly with the rest of the wing, which appeared black except in a favourable light. It was difficult to discern the distribution of white and black on the rest of the body, but the breast and belly appeared to be black, with some white markings, and larger white squares on the sides of the upper breast. Hoogerwerf (1950) considers that C. scutu/ata of the Greater Sundas can be distinguished from the continental population by a conspicuous amount of albinism on the body, but he did not separate it into a subspecies. At a wooded ox-bow lake at Danau Saranglang, near the village of Serasak, 20 km from Muara Bulian, the bird is known by local people as an occasional visitor, under the appropriate name of “‘itik hutan”, meaning forest duck. It seems reasonable to assume that this duck may be still toler- ably common is south Sumatra, where similar habitat is thought to be widespread and population density and hunting pressures are low. However, full aerial photographic cover would be necessary for estimating the total amount of suitable habitat. [Since this article was submitted the author has confirmed the presence of the species in Lampung?Province of southernmost Sumatra, when a pair was seen at Lake Jepara on 30 June 1976. “Suitable habitat is plentiful in this province but is rapidly disappearing owing to heavy immigration of settlers from Java”—Ed.]. I am grateful to D. R. Wells in Kuala Lumpur for his comments on a first draft of this paper. References: Boonsong, Lekagul & Cronin, E. W. 1974. Bird Guide of Thailand (second edition). Bangkok: Association for the Conservation of Wildlife. Hoogerwerf, A. 1950. De Witvleugeleend Carina scutulata van de Grote Sunda Eilanden. Ardea. 38: 64. — 1970. On the ornithology of the Rhino Sanctuary Udjung Kulon in West Java (Indonesia). Nat. Hist. Bull, Siam. Soc. 23: 447. Stanford, J. K. 1931. The Birds of the Prome District of Lower Burma, with notes on the collection by Dr. Claud B. Ticehurst, Part III. J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 35: 32-50. Address: The Old Rectory, Sudborough, Kettering, Northants, U.K. [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] 90 Additions to the avifaunas of Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia by W. G. Harvey & D. A. Holmes Received 19 March 1976 SUMATRA Aviceda leuphotes (Contributed by D. A. Holmes) A party of about ten Black-crested Bazas roosted in open woodland near Palembang in south Sumatra on the night of 19-20 November 1974, and on 18 January 1976 four were seen flying north at low elevation near Muara Bulian in Jambi province (1° 45’ S, 103° 15’ E). There are no previous records for the island of Sumatra, nor apparently for Indonesia as a whole. The observer was familiar with the species in south Thailand, and it is readily identifiable by its crow-like shape, alternate flapping/gliding flight, and distinctive black and white plumage. Migratory flocks crossing the Straits of Malacca are seen regularly from Cape Rachado (2° 25’ N) on the Malayan coast during November—December and March-April (Medway & Wells 1976, Wells pers. comm.), which sug- gests that Sumatra is within the normal wintering range. It is surprising that such a conspicuous hawk should have been overlooked there until now. Calidris subminuta (Contributed by W. G. Harvey) Robinson & Kloss (1923) list Long-toed Stint (as Limonites minutella subminuta) as occutting in Sumatra. However their record is not substantiated by Chasen (1935) or King ef a/. (1975), probably because of their statement on page 356: “As regards our own list we have recorded as Sumatran most of the species that are found on the mud-flats of the Straits of Malacca with one of two exceptions’. This implies that not all the Charadriiformes listed wete actually recorded in Sumatra but were presumed to occur because they occurred on the Malayan side of the Straits. The following record confirms that Calidris subminuta does in fact occur in Sumatra, which lies well within the wintering range of the species. On 26 November 1975 I had excellent close views in good light of an individual feeding with a party of Rufous-necked Stints Calidris ruficollis in an atea of salt pans near Banda Aceh in the extreme north of Sumatra. Compared with C. ruficollis it appeared distinctly smaller and slimmer, much darker above, being brownish grey with distinct black streaks, with a more distinct greyish band across the upper breast, and much paler legs, greenish- grey in colour. Its call was a soft “churrup”’. Saxicola torquata (Contributed by D. A. Holmes) An immature Stonechat was seen on an exposed petch in a rice swamp by the Kumpeh river below Jambi town (1° 30’ S) in south Sumatra on 26 January 1976. S. ¢. stejnegeri is a winter visitor to west and east Malaysia in small numbers, and has recently proved to be a fairly common visitor to south Thailand (Holmes & Wells 1975). The Stonechat is an unexpected visitor south of the equator in this region, and an addition to the avifauna of Indonesia. The sight was distant and under difficult conditions of deep swamp, the same habitat as that used by wintering birds in Thailand, with no possibility of close approach: but the habits and stance immediately identified the bird gl [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] as a chat. The crown was brown, the ear coverts black, with a pale buff patch on the side of the neck. The brown back and wings were streaked dark and there was a buff or whitish patch on the wing. The colour of the rump could not be determined, but the black tail appeared to have a narrow white tip. The throat was white or whitish, sharply demarcated from the breast which was dark buff, strongly tinged rufous on either side. This graded to brownish buff on the belly. A white throat and white tip to the tail are features that have also been noted in Malaya (Wells pers. comm.). Cisticola exilis (Contributed by D. A. Holmes) A colony of Bright-capped Cisticolas was found at Serasak, to the west of Jambi, in south Sumatra on 18 January 1976. The species is common in Java and central Thailand but was previously unknown in the lands between. This record, together with another from Kalimantan (see below) indicate that the species may now be spreading into the deforested portions of the equatorial zone. The habitat was lallang (/mperata cylindrica) grassland bordering a swampy channel, in an area surrounded by rubber and patchy woodland. Subsequently the song was heard at two other localities closer to Jambi in lallang mixed with dryland annual crops. The males were in breeding plumage and in full song, which consisted of thin grating calls (reminiscent of some notes of Prinia flaviventris), which intermittently are uttered more quickly and terminate in a loud sharp “girrik”. The male had the crown an unstreaked golden rufous, a strongly streaked mantle, buff underparts with an ill-defined rich rufous breast band, pale rump and buff tips to the dark tail. This combination of plumage and song is diagnostic for the species. The terrain was shared by a small number of C7sticola juncidis, which favoured the more swampy ground, but both species occurred together in song flight. [Since submitting this paper, Mr. Holmes has confirmed that C7s¢icola exilis is acommon and widespread bird in the grass plains of Lampung province in South Sumatra—Ed. ]. Prionochilus thoracicus (Contributed by D. A. Holmes) A male Scarlet-breasted Flowerpecker was seen in dense rubber and secondary forest near Pinang Sore, central Tapanuli, north Sumatra (1° 35’ N, 98° 50’ BE) on 6 July 1974. This beautiful flowerpecker was at once identified by the black head and neck, red crown, red breast patch surrounded by black, and a yellow patch on the lesser wing coverts. This constitutes the first confirmed record for Sumatra. There is a skin labelled Sumatra in the American Museum of Natural History, and pre- sumably on the basis of this Delacour (1947) included Sumatra in its range. However Chasen (1937) does not accept this record for neighbouring Billiton Island, and Salomonsen (1960) believed the label to be incorrect. KALIMANTAN Cisticola exilis (Contributed by W. G. Harvey) Excellent views, down to five metres, of a male Bright-capped Cisticola in full breeding plumage were obtained in an area of long grass on damp ground near the airport in Pontianak, west Kalimantan, on 25 February 1976. It looked bulkier than C. juncidis, with a very distinct bright orange crown, streaked upper parts, a plain brown rump and a uniform dark tail. The [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] 92 underparts appeared uniform yellowish buff from chin to vent. The bird was watched for about half a minute perched in full view. It then slipped into dense herbage and a few seconds later its distinctive song was heard. This appears to be the first record of the genus for the island of Kalimantan. Mirafra javanica (Contributed by W. G. Harvey) Smythies (1957, 1960) records that the Javanese Bush Lark is resident in south Kalimantan in the neighbourhood of Banjarmasin. The following record from Pontianak in west Kalimantan (on the equator at 109° E) indicates a considerable extension of range. At least four birds were singing over the short grass areas of Pontianak airport on 25 February 1976. Although for obvious reasons I could not investigate them closely, I know the species and its song well from Java. The song flights were typical, an undulating flight of about 50-100 m, 15-20 m above the ground, on rather fluttering wings. The generally streaked brown plumage, rufous flight feathers and whitish outer tail feathers were seen on one individual. Lonchura punctulata (Contributed by D. A. Holmes) On 15 December 1974 and subsequently, parties of the Scaly-breasted Munia were seen in ricefields and lallang grass at the edge of the swamp at Tungkap, northeast of Banjarmasin in southeast Kalimantan (3° 10’ S, 115° 05’ B). This species is common over most of the Sunda region including the island of Bawean between Java and Kalimantan (Hoogerwerf 1963), but has apparently never been recorded previously in Kalimantan itself. We are grateful to D. R. Wells in Kuala Lumpur for his comments on a first draft of this paper. References: Chasen, F. N. 1935. A Handlist of Malaysian Birds. Bull. Raffles Mus. 11. — 1937. The Birds of Billiton Island. Treubia 16: 205-238. Delacour, J. 1947. Birds of Malaysia. New York, Macmillan. Holmes, D. A. & Wells, D. R. 1975. Further observations on the birds of south Thailand. Nat. Hist. Bull. Siam Soc. 26: 61-78. Hoogerwerf, A. 1963. A new race of the Spotted Munia, Lonchura punctulata (Linn.) Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 83: 36. King, B., Woodcock, M. & Dickinson, E. C. 1975. A Field Guide to the Birds of South-east Asia. London, Collins. Medway, Lord & Wells, D. R. 1976. The Birds of the Malay Peninsula. Vol. 5. London, Witherby; Kuala Lumpur, University of Malaya Press. Robinson, H. C. & Kloss, C. B. 1923. A nominal list of the birds of Sumatra. J. Fed. Malay St. Mus. 8: 319-362. Salomonsen, F. 1960. Notes on flowerpeckers (Aves, Dicaeidae) 1. The genera Melanocharis. Rhamphocharis and Prionochilus. Amer. Mus. Novit. 1990: 1-28. Smythies, B. E. 1957. An annotated checklist of the birds of Borneo. Sarawak Mus. ].7: 685. — 1960. The Birds of Borneo. Edinburgh, Oliver & Boyd. Address: The Old Rectory, Sudborough, Kettering, Northants, England. Weights of African birds by James R. Karr Received 23 March 1976 In recent years studies of a variety of ecological and evolutionary phenomena have demonstrated the increased need for knowledge of weights of birds. 93 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] Data for tropical species especially are lacking, in particular for wet forest species. As part of a study of the ecology of tropical forest bird communities, I spent nearly a year in Africa in 1971 and netted birds in forest habitats in four countries: Liberia. 7 Feb — 3 May 1971 in three study areas within 3 km of the town of Grassfield (7° 29’ N, 8° 34’ W) near Mt. Nimba at elevations near 500 m. 49 species, 227 weights. Ghana. A forest converted to shrubland by the charcoal industry on the campus of Cape Coast University near Cape Coast, Ghana (near 5° 6’ N, 1° 17’ W) was surveyed in early June 1971. 33 species, 51 weights. Gabon. Late June and early July 1971 in forest at the Laboratoire de Primatologie et d’Ecologie Equatoriale (C.N.R.S.) near Makokou (near 0° 35’ N, 12° 50’ BE). 31 species, 85 weights. Kenya. July 1971 in Kakamega Forest in west Kenya, on the main tract of an extensive study by Zimmerman (1972), centered at 0° 14’ N, 34° 51’ E. 18 species, 73 weights. Also for several days in Nov. 1971 in the coastal belt of Kenya south of Malindi in the Sokoke Forest (4° 42’ N, 35° 51’ W). 9 species, 25 weights. For more details of the study areas, see Karr (1976). Although my sample sizes are generally small (96 species, 461 weights), they are mainly of forest interior species for which there are few or no published weight data. I have tried to discern statistically significant differ- ences in weights for different sexes of the same species and for the same species from different geographic areas, using the t-test and accepting the 0:05 level of significance. I assumed that no significant differences in variance existed in the data. Since my work was aimed at studying community structure in African forest birds, no collections were made. Determination of the sex of birds was dependent on differences in plumage. Nomenclature follows White (1965) and Hall & Moreau (1970). All birds were weighed in gm with Pesola spring balances; those of less than 25 gm live weight with a 30 gm balance, those over 25 gm witha 300 gm model. As pointed out by Britton (1970), many early compilations of weight data were derived from wide geographic areas and were collected by many workers using a variety of methods over several seasons. The weights in Table 1 have the advantage that all were obtained by one worker using the same techniques, and so are directly comparable with each other apart from the usual difficulties relating to diurnal variation. Acknowledgements: Grants from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the Smithsonian Institution provided funds for my research in Africa. The LAMCO Joint- Venture Mining Company at Mt. Nimba, Liberia made the facilities of the Nimba Research Laboratory available. Dr. Andre Brosset and his staff at Makokou, Gabon facilitated my studies at Makokou. Helen Lapham helped with fieldwork in Liberia and Stuart Keith and Alec Forbes-Watson aided me in innumerable ways in Liberia and Kenya. Drs. Douglas and ati James and the staff of the Department of Zoology, University of Ghana, aided me in Ghana. References: Britton, P. L. 1970. Some non-passerine bird weights from East Africa. Bul). Brit. Orn. Cl. 90: 142-144, 152-154. Hall, B. P. & Moreau, R. E. 1970. An Aflas of Speciation in African Passerine Birds. British Museum (Natural History). Karr, J. R. (in press) 1976. Within-and between-habitat avian diversity in African and Neotropical lowland habitats. Evo/. Monogr. 46(3). [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] 94 White, C. M. N. 1965. A Revised Check List of African Non-passerine Birds. Government Printer, Lusaka. Zimmerman, D. A. 1972. The avifauna of the Kakamega Forest, western Kenya, including a bird population study. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 149: 255-340. Address: Department of Ecology, Ethology and Evolution, Vivarium Building, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois 61820. U.S.A TABLE 1 Weights of African birds Liberia (L) = Mt. Nimba; Ghana (Gh) = Cape Coast; Gabon (Ga) = Makokou; Kenya-K (Kk) = Kakamega; Kenya-S (Ks) = Sokoke. After each area name the number of birds weighed is given in brackets, followed by the average and the standard deviation, followed by the range of weights in brackets. The mean of combined data is given where means derived for country or sex are not significantly different. Weights in gm. Accipiter tachiro: Liberia (2) 145°5+9°19 (139°0-152°0) Turtur brehmeri: Liberia (1) 115°5 Colius striatus: Gabon (1) 45°5 Alcedo leucogaster: Liberia (5) 14°5+0°56 (13°5-14°8) Ceyx lecontei: Liberia (1) 10-5; Gabon (2) 9°8+0-56 (9-4, 10°2); L + Ga (3) 10-040°32 Halcyon malimbica: Liberia (1) 96-5 Buccanodon duchaillui: Liberia (1) 36°5 Pogoniulus subsulphureus: Liberia (1) 9-0 Pogoniulus bilineatus: Kenya-S (1) 10-9 Indicator maculatus: Liberia (1) 46-5 Campethera nivosa: Liberia (1g) 45-5; Ghana (1) 38-5; Gabon (1g) 34°5, (19) 36°5 Psalidoprogne nitens: Gabon (1) 9°7 Psalidoprocne obscura: Ghana (1) 10-0 enero’ barbatus: Ghana (2) 35°3+0°35 (35-0, 35°5); Gabon (1) 37-5; Gh + Ga (3) 36°0+1°29 Andropadis virens: Liberia (12) 24°9+2°79 (21°5-29°5); Ghana (3) 22°5+1:°00 (21°5- 23°5); Kenya-K (3) 23°24+3°51 (19°5-23°5): L + Gh + Kk (18) 24:242°77 Andropadis curvirostris: Ghana (2) 21°5--1°41 (20°5, 22°5); Kenya-K (3) 24:0+2:29 (21°5-26°0); Gh + Kk (5) 23-0+2°23 Andropadis latirostris: Liberia (27) 27-02-48 (23 -5-32:0); Gabon (11) 27-61-82 (24°5- 29°5); Kenya-K (22) 27°5-2°02 (25:0-30°5); L + Ga + Kk (60) 27-3+2:18 Andropadis mazukuensis: Kenya-K (1) 23-0 Chlorocichla simplex: Ghana (1) 46°5 Chlorocichla flaviventris: Kenya-S (1) 43°6 Criniger barbatus: Liberia (3) 45-20-60 (44° 5-45°7) Criniger chloronotus: Gabon (2) 48-0+2-12 (46-5, 49°5) Criniger caluras: Liberia (4) 37°8+4:°50 (33°2-43°0); Gabon (3) 28:0+3:°96 (25 :0-32°5) Bleda syndactyla: Liberia (4) 50°5+5°52 (46-0-58-5); Gabon (6) 46-7+3° 73, (43°5-51°5)3 Kenya-K (3) 46°8+3-78 (42°5-49°5); L + Ga + Kk (13) 47-944:36 Bleda eximia: Liberia (4) 50°3+0°86 (49°5-51-5); Gabon (4) 35:7+1°25 (34°5-37° 5) oe ES sane (2g) 50°24+2°47 (48°5, §2°0); (19) 43°53 (3 unsexed) 42°7+6-00 36-5~48° Phyllastrephus fisheri: Kenya-K (2) 26°3-+0°35 (26-0, 26-5); Kenya-S (8) 29:5+2:06 (27-1-32°6); Kk + Ks (10) 28-92-26 Phyllastrephus icterinus: Liberia (11) 20°8+1°99 (17°5-23:0); Gabon (9) 18-4+2:20 (15 *5-22°5) Phyllastrephus Fe Ghana (2) 29°0-+2:°12 (27°5, 30°5) Phyllastrephus debilis: Kenya-S (5) 13°6+1°24 (11°9-15°1) Nicator chloris: Liberia (1) 38+2 Laniarius barbarus: Ghana (2) 44°8+2°47 (43:0, 46°5) Laniarius aethiopicus: Ghana (1) 61°5 Malconotus sulphureopectus: Ghana (2) 30°5+1°41 (29°5, 31°5) Cercotrichas leucostictus: Liberia (1) 24:0 Cercotrichas quadrivirgata: Kenya-S (2) 22°8+2°33 (21-1, 24°4) Alethe poliocephala: Liberia (8) 35°9+2°55 (31°0-39° 0); Gabon (1) 32:5; Kenya-K (7) 28-4+1°21 (27°5-32°5); L + Ga (9) 35°5+6°98 Alethe diademata: Liberia (6) 33°5+1:°78 (31°5-35°5); Gabon (3) 33°8-+0°57 (33°5-34°5); L + Ga (9) 33°6+1°44 95 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] Stiphrornis erythrothorax: Liberia (2g) 16°4+0°84 (15-8, 17°70); 3(Q) 15°8+0°75 (15:0- 16-5); (7 unsexed) 15°8+ 0°87 (14°3-17°0); Gabon (23) 17°5+1°41 (16°5, 18°5); (12) 16-0; L + Ga (15) 16-10°97 Cossypha cyanocompter: Kenya-K (1) 26°5 Cossypha natalensis: Kenya-S (1) 32°1 Sheppardia cyornithopsis: Liberia (4) 16°8+3°31 (13°8-21°5) Sheppardia aequitorialis: Kenya-K (4) 15-40-69 (14°5—16-2) Sheppardia gunningi: Kenya-S (1) 15-9 Neocossyphus poensis: Liberia (4) 54°5+4°74 (47°5-58-0) ee. Liberia (3) 38-6+2°51 (37°0-41°5); Gabon (1) 32-5; L + Ga (4) 37°143°67 Trichastoma fulvescens: Liberia (5) 23°9+1°85 (21:0-26-0); Ghana (2) 28-5+2°82 (26°5, 30°5); Gabon (6) 24°8+2°25 (22°5—-28°5); Kenya-K (1) 30-5; L + Ga (11) 24°4+ 4°12 Trichastoma rufipennis: Liberia (1) 255; Kenya-K (4) 20°3+0°96 (19-5—-21-3) Trichastoma albipectus: Kenya-K (2) 30°8+2°47 (29:0-32°5) Trichastoma cleaveri: Liberia (2) 27°-0+1°41 (26-0, 28-0); Gabon (4) 32°243-12 (28-5- 36-0); L + Ga (6) 30°5+3-66 Trichastoma rufescens: Liberia (2) 36°3+2°47 (34°5-38-0) Cisticola erythrops: Ghana (1) 13°7 Prinia leucopogon: Gabon (1g) 14°0; (12) 10°7 Prinia bairdi: Kenya-K (2) 11°8+0°63 (11-3, 12°2) Apalis flavida: Ghana (3) 9:0+ 1-00 (8-0, 10°0) Bathmocercus cerviniventris: Kenya-K (2) 19°2+0°70 (18°7, 19-7) Camaroptera brevicaudata: Liberia (2) 11°5+0°49 (11-1, 11°8); Ghana (1) 11-0; Kenya-S (3) 8-90-78 (8-4-9°8); L + Gh (3) 11°30°33 Sh cat chloronota: Liberia (13) 11°2+1°00 (9*5-12°3); Ghana (1) 12°3; Gabon (1) 1*3; Kenya-K (2) 9‘0+ 1°41 (8-7, 10:0); L + Gh + Ga (15) 11°4+0°95 Syoietta virens: Ghana (2) 8-00-49 (7:6, 8-3) Macrosphenus concolor: Liberia (1) 13°7 Macrosphenus kempi: Ghana (1) 14°5 Hiylia prasina: Liberia (7) 11°6+1°31 (10°5-13°5) Muscicapa olivascens: Liberia (2) 15-50-70 (15°7, 16-0) Muscicapa sethsmithi: Gabon (2) 8-4+0-63 (7°9, 8°8) Myioparus griseogularis: Liberia (2) 11°4+0°35 (11°2, 11°7) Melaenornis edoloides: Ghana (1) 59° 5 Platysteira cyanea: Liberia (23) 13-9-+0°56 (13°5, 14°3); (19) 14°33 5 + 2 (3) 14°0+0°46 Platysteira concreta: Liberia (23) 13+2+0°49 (12°8, 13°5); (29) 12°8+0-00 (12°8, 12°8); Gabon (1) 12-0 Platysteira blissetti: Ghana (1g) 12-0; Kenya-K (39) 11°40°36 (11-0-11°7); Gh + Kk (4d) 11°6+0°41 Platysteira castanea: Liberia (23) 12-6+0°77 (12°0-13°1); (12) 12°3; Gabon (1g) 13°5; L + Ga (3d) 12°9+0°77 Trochocercus nigromitratus: Liberia (23) 10°0--0-00 (10-0, 10°0); (12) 10°8; (2 unsexed) 9*1+0-28 (8-9, 9°3) Trochocercus cyanomelas: Kenya-S (23) 10°40:*28 (10°2, 10°6); (12) 9-9 Terpsiphone rufiventer: Liberia (10) 15°1--1° ini eis Terpsiphone rufocinerea (batesi): Gabon (1) 16 Anthreptes fraseri: Liberia (2¢) 10°7+0°91 tic: 0, 11°3); Gabon (29) 11°70°77 (11°2, 12°3); (2 unsexed) 10°2-++0°70 (9-7, 10°7) Nectarinia cuprea: Ghana (19) 8-3 iste sets an Liberia (2g) 5-20-28 (5°0-5-4); Ghana (12) 5-0; L + Gh (3) 3+0°3 Nectarinia peeninalie> Ghana (13) 13° 73 (52) 23 *5 Nectarinia olivacia: Liberia (5$) 9:9+0°92 (8°5-10°8); (52) 8-10°32 (7°7-8°5); (6 unsexed) 9°4-+1-10 a af Gabon (53) 10°50°36 (10:0-11°0); (49) 9°:24+0°51 (8-6-9°8); Kenya-K (2g) 11-20-63 (10°7, 11-6); (22) 9°8+0°49 (9°5, 10°2); L + Ga+Kk (123) 10°4+0:78; L + Kk (7 unsexed) 9°4+1:02 Ploceus nigricollis: Ghana (3) 25°8+2:°08 (23°5-27°5) Ploceus cucullatus: Ghana (1g) 32°5 Amblyspiza albifrons: Ghana (12) 31° Passer griseus: Ghana (2) 28-o+2-12 (06: 5, 29°5) Parmoptila woodhousei: Liberia (4g) 10°50°41 (10°0-11°0); (29) 10°1-- 0°07 (10°0, 10°); (6 $4-9) 10°3+0°38 Nigrita cani:apilla: Ghana (1) 15-0 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] 96 Nigrita bicolor: Ghana (1) 10° 5 Spermophaga haematina: Liberia (33) 20°4-+0°81 (19° 8—21-3); (29) 21-8 +1:°90 (20° 4, 23-2); Ghana (24) 23°5-1°41 (22°5, 24°5); (12) 24°5; Gabon (19) 2175; (19) 23°5 Spermophaga ruficapilla: Kenya-K (6) 22°8+2:06 (21+5-25°5) Lagonosticta senegala: Ghana (12) 9°8 Lagonosticta rufopicta: Ghana (2) 11°1-0°49 (10°8, 11°5) Lagonosticta rubricata: Ghana (1) 10°2 Esstrilda troglodytes: Ghana (1) 8° 5 Esstrilda atricapilla: Gabon (1) 7°8 Oriolus brachyrhynchus: Gabon (1) 45°5 Dicrurus ludvigii: Liberia (1) 46-0 Occurrence of the Madagascar Squacco Heron Ardeola idae in Central Africa by A. Prigogine Received 23 March 1976 After its breeding season, from October to March, the Madagascar Squacco Heron Ardeola idae disappears from its breeding grounds, migrating to other regions of Madagascar (Milon ef a/. 1973) or to Zanzibar! and to East and Central Africa, especially to Rwanda and Zaire. Chapin (1932) notes that it is present in mainland Africa 22 May-—20 Oct, including specimens collected in East Africa. Following a study of the populations of Ardeo/a ralloides in Central Africa (Prigogine in press), I had the opportunity to examine the fine series of A. idae preserved in the Musée royal de l’Afrique Centrale, at Tervuren, and I found that, in reality, its status in Central Africa is not so simple as previously accepted. The collection at Tervuren includes 25 specimens collected in Zaire and in Rwanda at the following localities and dates: Kivu (Zaire): Butembo (1 Jan), Kamituga (3, 5 and 20 June, 15 July, 3, 11 and 16 Sep), Lulenga (23 Nov), Lake Mokoto (30 Aug—z specimens); Kasai oriental (Zaire): Kabinda (11 July), Lusambo (25 May), Merode (3 May, 11 Aug); Rwanda: Astrida (Feb, 4 May, May, June, 15 Aug, 15 and 20 Dec), Gisagara (Nov), Kigali (26 June), Kisenyi (no date). As A. zdae is known from Zambia (Benson ef a/. 1971), it is strange that it has only been encountered once in Shaba (at Moba—Chapin 1932). Yet on 19 July 1968, a native brought to me, at Lubumbashi, two A. zdae captured near Kasenga, where these birds were said to be very numerous at that time. Chapin (1956) noted this heron at Tshibati, during the dry season from June to August, and Curry-Lindahl (1960) observed one individual 4-6 Feb near Astrida. Schouteden (1953, 1966, 1968) has recorded birds, identified without doubt as A. édae, from Central Africa taken during the months in which breeding occurs in Madagascar, but all six are in first winter plumage (see table). There are indeed no specimens in the typical breeding dress anywhere recorded and this is surely proof that there is no breeding in Central Africa. The following table shows the distribution by month of the specimens in the Tervuren collection, separately for adult birds and for young birds in first winter plumage: 97 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] Month Loft (A, SWE WV) NA MEV > IX... % SL Winter plumage 2 4 I First winter plumage I I 4 3 I I 2 2 2 Total I I 4 5 I 5 3 2 2 It may be concluded that some young birds remain in Central Africa and do not return to Madagascar in September or October. These young birds are easily confused in the field with the Palaearctic population of the Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides ralloides which arrives in Zaire in November and remains in Central Africa until March. Thus it is possible that even during its off season A. idea may be commoner in Zaire and Rwanda than these few records suggest. It may be noted that 7 adult Tervuren specimens have a wing length of 230-254 mm (mean 245 mm), longer than the wing length given in standard books (e.g. Mackworth-Praed & Grant 1970), but 17 specimens in first winter plumage are notably smaller, 211-244 mm (mean 227 mm). 1C, W. Benson (in /itt.) very kindly drew my attention to an A. idae specimen from Mafia Island, collected 22 Feb 1915, found quite recently in the British Museum (Meinertzhagen collection). It is in almost complete breeding dress except for very few winter feathers on the mantle. Thus it seems possible that a breeding population of A. idae exists also on Mafia Island. References: Benson, C. W., Brooke, R. K., Dowsett, R. J. & Irwin, M. P. S. 1971. The Birds of Zambia. Collins, London. Chapin, J. P. 1932. The Birds of the Belgian Congo, part 1. Bul/. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 65: 1-756. — 1956. Les oiseaux et les saisons prés de Lwiro. Fo/. Scient. Afr. Centr. 2(1): 3-5. Curry-Lindahl, K. 1960. Ecological studies on mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians in the eastern Belgian Congo. Ann. Mus. Congo Belge, 8°, Sc. zool. 87: 1-170. Mackworth-Praed, C. W. & Grant, C. H. B. 1970. African Handbook of Birds, Series I, Vol. I. Longman, London. Milon, Ph., Petter, J.-J. & Randrianasolo, G. 1973. Faune de Madagascar, XX XV. Oiseaux. ORSTOM, Tananarive. Prigogine, A. in press. Les populations du Héron crabier Ardeola ralloides (Scopoli) au Zaire, Rwanda et Burundi. Gerfaut. Schouteden, H. 1953. Le Héron crabier de Madagascar (Ardeola idae) au Congo belge. Rev. Zool, Bot. afr. 48: 294-296. — 1966. La faune ornithologique du Rwanda. Doc. zool. Mus. Afr. Centr. 10: 1-130. — 1968. La faune ornithologique du Kivu. I. Non passereaux. Doc. zool. Mus. Afr. Centr. 12: 1-168. Address: Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, Rue Vautier 31, B 1040 Bruxelles, Belgium. Earliest Record of the Torres Strait Pigeon Ducula spilorrboa from Lord Howe Island, with comments on the subspecies me/villensis by Murray D. Bruce Received 14 April 1976 Roy Bell collected on Lord Howe Island for two years on behalf of G. M. Mathews and at The Pines on 14 October 1913 took a ‘White Pigeon’ [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] 98 which he had been after for some time and which was supposed to have been present for some four years (per J. L. McKean). The specimen (No. 611383) is an adult male Torres Strait Pigeon Ducula spilorrhoa in the collections of the American Museum of Natural History, New York. Rand (1941) briefly mentions the record in his revision of the species, but otherwise the record has been overlooked (e.g. by Fullager ez. a/. 1974). The record is the southern- most not only for the species but for the genus, the normal range extending only to eastern Queensland (Crome 1975), and this occurrence on Lord Howe Island must be regarded as accidental, though one might not have expected a vagrant to remain for four years. This pigeon has decreased greatly in numbers in the last 50 years and the likelihood of such vagrancy recurring is remote. Large flocks may still congregate in southern New Guinea (cf. Bell 1967: 70) and a ringing recovery 850 km from the original site was reported by Purchase (1975). Rand & Gilliard (1968: 170) questioned whether D. s. melvillensis was distinguishable from nominate spz/orrhoa. Storr (1973: 48) placed Queensland birds under spz/orrhoa, thus following Peters (1937: 50). Condon (1975 : 163), on the other hand, recognised me/villensis, as had Mayr (1941: 43), following Rand (1941: 4). Rand’s differentiation of the subspecies (which differ on average only slightly in size) was primarily based on the degree of white or pale yellowish (spz/orrhoa) and yellowish (subjflavescens) to greyish (¢arara) shading in the plumage. Me/vi/lensis differs from spi/orrhoa “in having the head distinctly gray-tinged” (Rand 1941: 5), a feature that is even more distinct in /arara. This grey tinge of the head is quite distinct in fresh skins (McKean zm Uitt.), and is well marked in the AMNH material examined, although the grey in the plumage of some specimens appears attributable to dirt, stains and possible foxing. On this basis the subspecies me/villensis may be recognised; although it represents an intermediate stage in plumage characters, it is in fact the slightly smaller of the four subspecies :— subflavescens (Bismarck Archipelago; Admiralty Islands); nominate spz/orrhoa (islands around New Guinea and parts of the New Guinea mainland); melvillensis (S.E. New Guinea—Hall Sound region; northern Australia, with regular migratory movements between New Guinea and Queens- land; Lord Howe Island); tarara (south New Guinea—Merauke to Fly River). I am grateful to J. L. McKean of the C.S.I.R.O., Australia, for assistance with information on Lord Howe Island records and material available to him in Canberra; Mrs. M. K. LeCroy of the A.M.N.H., New York, for assistance during my visit there; also J. F. Monk for helpful comments on the manuscript. References: Bell, H. L. 1967. Bird life of the Balimo Sub-district, Papua. Evu 67: 57-79. iar we T. 1975. Checklist of the Birds of Australia, Part 1. Non-Passerines. Melbourne: Crome, F. H. J. 1975. Breeding, feeding and status of the Torres Strait Pigeon at Low Isles, north-eastern Queensland. Emu 75: 189-198. Fullager, P. J., McKean, J. L., & van Tets, G. F. 1974. Report on the birds. Appendix F, pp. 55-72. Jn, H. F. Recher & S. S. Clark (eds.), Environmental survey of Lord Howe Island. Sydney: Aust. Mus. 86pp. Mayr, E. 1941. List of New Guinea Birds. New York: AMNH. Peters, J. L. 1937. Check-list of Birds of the World. Vol. 3. Cambridge: Harvard Univ. Press. Purchase, D. 1975. Letter to the editor. New Guinea Bird Soc. Newsletter 105: 4. Rand, A. L. 1941. Results of the Archbold Expeditions. No. 32. New and interesting birds from New Guinea. Amer. Mus. Novit. 1102: 1-15. 99 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] Rand, A. L. & Gilliard, E. T. 1968. Handbook of New Guinea Birds. New York: Nat. Hist. Press. Storr, G. M. 1973. List of Queensland Birds. Spec. Publ. W. Aust. Mus. 5: 1-177. Address: clo Dept. of Ornithology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024, U.S.A. The vocalizations of the Green Longtail Urolais epichlora by L.. G. Grimes Received 6 May 1976 The Green Longtail Uro/ais epichlora is endemic to most montane forest areas of Cameroun, Eastern Nigeria and the island of Fernando Po. During an eight day stay on Mount Cameroun, beginning 30 December 1974, I recorded its song, contact note and some alarm notes, using a Phillips cassette tape- recorder (Model 2205) with a microphone (Phillips EL 1980/03) placed at the focus of a parabola (0-6 m in diameter). Sonograms of sections of these recordings were made using a Kaye Sonograph (Model 66]A) operating in the wide band mode. ANAAAANS or i KH an 6 KH "4 28 DECEMBER 1975 lic <= oy nS Ree tae APR a a 10) 025 O:5. SEG Figure 1. Diagrammatic sound spectograms of the contact note (a) and alarm calls (b & c) used by Urolais epichlora..Cameroun, Dec. 1974—Jan. 1975. [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] 100 KH 12 { g— (a) 6 KH (a ap — les | a Qe a | (b) | KHy © | 4 : | g— (c) | i | hh O 025 0-5 SEC Figure 2. Diagrammatic sound spectrograms of the territorial song of Urolais epichlora. Those illustrated in (a) and (b) were obtained from the recordings of Chappuis (1974); those in (c), (d) and (e) from recordings made on 8 January 1975, probably of the same male, at 1860 m on Mount Cameroun. The Longtail was common at all elevations in the montane forest, and also occurred as low as 1200 m in grassy thickets within the eucalyptus plantation near Buea. Adults with dependent young (small replicas of the adults) were located in the plantation and within the forest belt below 1830 m. Family parties located higher on the mountain contained birds with short tails, which may have been immatures or else adults in tail moult. Unfortunately I failed to find any nests. During the first few days on the mountain I kept on hearing an unfamiliar shrill call (Fig. 1a) from birds hidden within the canopy. These were even- tually identified as Longtails and as far as I could judge they used the call to maintain contacts with a foraging party. Sonograms of a number of separate IOl [Bul/. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] recordings of this call showed that there was little variation in the frequency/ time profile of the notes, and playback of the call produced no visible response in foraging Longtails. I also recorded in the eucalyptus plantation alarm calls (Fig. 1b, c) of adults when with dependent young: they contained a second harmonic not shown in the figure. Neither of these contact or alarm calls are on the disc produced by Chappuis (1974) nor appear to be - mentioned in the literature. The (assumed) male adult Longtail has a distinctive “‘chipping” song which consists of the repetition of the same note (Fig. 2) and appears to be mainly territorial in function. The frequency/time profile of the note is complex and differs between males and probably varies in a given male (Fig. 2c, d, e): but no birds were ringed for identification. The song is not of great intensity but once learnt could be picked up at distances of 60 m or more. At dawn and dusk on each day of my stay three males sang from separate canopies near my camp at Hut 1 (1830 m). Singing, however, also occurred during the day, either from a song perch within the canopy or as the male moved slowly through it. The response of the male to playback of its song or that of another male was most marked. Without fail it was possible to bring an unseen singing male from the canopy to ground cover where it would continue to sing in response, flicking its wings audibly often with its tail cocked over its back. Wing flicking and tail cocking were never noted when males were singing in the canopy and these are presumably intense forms of territorial display. Other Longtails foraging in the canopy would not respond to the playback and remained in the canopy. There was no suggestion, either from the tape recordings and sonograms or from field _ observations, that duetting is a part of the vocal repertoire. White (1962) placed the Green Longtail in the genus Prinia and more _ recently Chappuis (1974) has suggested that vocally it has affinities with the ' genus Apalis, although no details of his reasoning are given. Until its nest is described it is probably best to leave it in the monotypic genus Uro/ais. It | is hoped, however, that the vocalization data in this paper will be made use of as additional information in any future comparative study of its taxonomic ' position. Acknowledgements: 1 am grateful to the Frank M. Chapman Fund for financing my visit | to Cameroun and to the Revs. L. Martin and L. Scheffle for help during my stay at Buea. I _ thank Mr. F. Walsh for commenting on the original script. References: _ Chappuis, C. 1974. Illustration sonore de problemes bioacoustiques poses par les oiseaux de la zone Ethiopienne. A/auda 42(4): 467-500. | Smith, W. J. 1970. The acquisition and functions of vocal behaviour. Science 167: 39-41. | White, C. M. N. 1962. A check list of the Ethiopian Muscicapidae (Sylviinae), Parts 2, 3 Occ. Pap. Natn. Mus. S. Rhod. 26B: 653-694, 695-738. | Address: Rossall School, Fleetwood, Lancs. FY7 8JW. [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] 102 Further on subspeciation in the Red-billed Oxpecker Buphagus erythrorbynchus by P. A. Clancey Received 28 June 1976 The subspecific variation of the Red-billed Oxpecker Buphagus erythrorhynchus (Stanley) of eastern and southern Africa from the Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia, south to southeastern Angola and Natal and Zululand was last considered by Clancey & Lawson (1961) and Clancey (1962). The species was originally shown to exhibit subspecifically significant variation by Grote (1927), whose findings were adopted by Sclater (1930), but not by some later workers. Since 1962 two additional subspecies of this oxpecker have been proposed from southern Africa: B. e. angolensis Pinto, 1968, from Cuando-Cubango in southeastern Angola (Pinto 1968), and B. e. bestiarum Brooke, 1970, from southeastern Rhodesia (Brooke 1970). Brooke, in Benson ef al. (1970), acknowledged the discreteness of angolensis, but the mote recently proposed bestiarum has not yet been commented on. This last taxon was proposed on the basis of a relatively short series, mainly from Chipisi, c. 96:5 km east of Beit Bridge, near the confluence of the Bubye and Limpopo R., on the border between Rhodesia and the northern Transvaal. Chipisi, which is the type locality of the taxon, lies relatively close to those of B. e. caffer Grote, 1927: Palala R., northern Transvaal, a south bank affluent of the Limpopo R., which it joins at 23° 05’ S., 27° 53’ E., and B.e. scotinus Clancey & Lawson, 1961: Panda, Inhambane district, Mozambique, at 24° 02’ S., 34° 45’ E., just north of the lower Limpopo flood plain. From this it will be appreciated that the three names applicable to eastern southern African populations, namely, caffer, bestiarum and scotinus, are all loosely associated with the middle and lower reaches of a single river, the Limpopo. Subspecifically significant variation in B. erythrorynchus is relatively slight, affecting general size, the colouration of the face, chin and upper fore-throat, levels of saturation over the upper- and under-parts, and the colour of the tail. Despite what has been stated at various times, individual variation in single populations is highly conservative, but elucidation of both this and geographically correlated variation is rendered difficult for the following reasons: (a) series from single localities are both rarely long enough and comprised in the main of adult birds, (b) the taxonomically significant vatiation is only partially shown by juvenile and immature birds, (c) the species is subject to much carbon and soil discolouration through contact with soiled pelage of its mammalian hosts, and (d) being exposed to the strong African sun most of the day, birds fade and wear rapidly. Foxing in museum skins is a slow process and not a major problem in the present species. Variation in the Red-billed Oxpecker in southern and central Africa corresponds well to that exhibited by a whole range of similarly distributed polytypic passerines and small non-passerines : populations of dark and some- what small-sized birds in the humid eastern lowlands and parts of the im- mediate interior, with paler, less saturated, elements replacing them in the drier (xeric) interior, while, in turn, size increases markedly in southern Angola, southwestern Zambia, northeastern South West Africa, Caprivi and northern Botswana. A re-examination of my (1962) arrangement of the populations into races in the light of the description of B. e. angolensis in 1968 103 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] and B. e. bestiarum in 1970, using now a series of just under 100 specimens, indicates the necessity of recasting the ranges of B. e. caffer and B. e. scotinus, with only three subspecies being admitted south of the ranges of the northern B. e. erythrorhynchus and B. e. invictus, making five subspecies in all for the species concerned. B. e. bestiarum was described as differing from caffer in being generally paler, colder and duller, with the throat pale pinkish grey, the breast dull brown without the olive (wash) of caffer, and above grey-brown, without an olive wash. The pale pinkish grey throat was said to serve to distinguish B. e. bestiarum from all other races of the species. The 7ype of this taxon has not been available to me, but three paratopotypes from Chipisi taken at the same time cannot be distinguished from a series in comparable dress of B. e. scotinus from the lowlands of Mozambique taken in 1960, 1966 and 1971. Taken as a unit, all reasonably fresh adult bestiarum are as dark and suffused with olive over the upper-parts, dark over the face, chin and upper fore- throat, and deeply coloured below as a series of scotinus in the Durban Museum from Panda, Massinga and Rumbagaga, localities in Sul do Save, Mozambique, and are taxonomically indistinguishable from this sub- species. In so far as the Chipisi specimens are concerned, I cannot discern the pale pinkish colour attributed to them in the original diagnosis, and actually find such specimens darker throated and breasted than fresh B. e. caffer from the western Transvaal (Northam) and a range of localities in eastern Bots- wana. From these findings I conclude that B. e. bestiarum will require to be merged with the earlier B. ¢. scotinus, the range of which will need to be adjusted from that laid down in 1962, namely, the humid coastlands of eastern Africa from Mozambique, north to Kenya, to read as follows: Mozambique, (? and northeastern Zululand), Rhodesia east of caffer, Zambia east of angolensis, Malawi, southeastern Zaire, Rwanda, Burundi, southern Uganda and Kenya south of B. e. erythrorhynchus and B. e. invictus. B. e. scotinus differs from both B. e. erythrorhynchus (Stanley), 1814: northern Ethiopia, and B. e. invictus Clancey, 1962: Garissa, Tana R., Kenya, in being much darker over the face, chin and upper fore-throat, and more saturated throughout. In size it is similar to the nominate subspecies, but is much larger than the small-sized, pallid znvictus. B. e. caffer was erected largely on the basis of a size difference in comparison with the nominate race, the Type being from Palala R., in the western Trans- vaal. In my 1962 summary of the races I used this name for the interior populations ranging from the southern aspects of the Kenyan highlands south to the Transvaal and Natal. The present assessment of the variation now shows that caffer has a much more restricted distribution, and that many populations of scotinus were incorrectly assigned to it. Topotypical examples of caffer differ from the contiguous race, scotinus, in being colder and greyer dorsally, with the face, chin and upper fore-throat lighter and greyer (about the Light Drab of Ridgway (1912), pl. xlvi, versus greyish Buffy Brown (pl. xl) in scotinus), and the rest of the venter less saturated. With the elimination of the species from large areas of southeastern Africa through cattle-dipping, the use of insecticidal sprays and game eradication it is not easy to assess the former extent of the range of caffer, but nowadays it extends from the eastern aspects of the Kalahari, in Botswana, east to the northwestern Orange Free State, the Transvaal, and the low rainfall areas of northwestern Rhodesia (Wankie, Matetsi). In former times it extended well south of this over the Orange Free State and Natal, but has now all but disappeared from these [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] 104 provinces, though still present in some numbers in game reserves in northern Zululand, where, however, the birds appear to be nearer scotinus than caffer, but apparently showing characters of their own (darker fore-throat and breast, more ochraceous-buff belly, and with cinnamon wedging to the second and third outer rectrices), if the aged material available can be relied upon. When Pinto named B. e. angolensis he compared his Okavango R., Angola, material with ten skins from Sul do Save, which he considered to represent caffer, but which were in fact scotinus, which latter taxon was not mentioned. B. e. angolensis was described as resembling ‘“‘caffer” = scotinus in colour, differing in its greater size, even though the figures given in the original description: 121-136, versus 119-124 mm, show a considerable measure of overlap. However, as will be appreciated from the mensural data (Table I), TABLE sr. The wing-length (mm) variable in B. erythrorhynchus populations occurring to the south of the ranges of nominate B. erythrorhynchus and B. e. invictus. Population IN Range Mean SD Se B. e. ? subsp. Zululand 2 114, 116°5 B. e. caffer W. Transvaal, Botswana and N.W. Rhodesia 15 116° 5-123°5 120-3 2°28 0-59 B. e. caffer 2 B. e. scotinus E. Transvaal II I19—-124 P27 +2 1°66 0°50 B. e. scotinus S. Mozambique 12 T18-124°5 120°4 2°29 0°66 Rhodesia 13 116°5-124°5 120°8 2°50 0:69 Zambia and Tanzania ii 118+ 5-125 yor=s 2°O1 0°76 B. e. angolensis N.W. Botswana, Caprivi and S.W. Zambia 5 125-132 126-9 2°88 126 the wing-length spectrum in adults of the present oxpecker lies between 5 and 8-5 mm, which indicates that Pinto’s paratypical series of angolensis comprised several immature birds. My measurements of adults from the range of angolensis suggest that the size distinction separating angolensis and Scotinus is in all probability more sharply defined than suspected by the original author, angolensis having wings 125-132, versus 116+5-125 in scotinus and 116*5—123°5 mm in caffer. Compared with true B. e. caffer from the western Transvaal and eastern Botswana, angolensis differs in being more olive tinged above, less grey, darker and browner over the face, chin and upper fore-throat, slightly more saturated ventrally, and in having the wing-length in adult birds much greater. The range of B. e. angolensis is from Cuando-Cubango,~ Angola, and northeastern South West Africa, east to Caprivi, the Okavango Swamp region of northwestern Botswana, and Barotseland and the western part of ? “, A 105 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] the Southern Province of Zambia. Its influence can also be detected in the northwestern Rhodesian sample. In the above discussion I have not taken into consideration the contentious name Buphaga Africanoides A. Smith, 1831: Natal, the availability of which was discussed by Clancey (1968, 1969) and Benson & Hall (1969). As stated in a footnote to Bu//. B.O.C., 89 (2) (1969): 38, this matter was duly sub- mitted to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature at a time when the terms of Article 23 (b) of the Code were under critical review and immediately prior to the publication of Declaration 43, in which Article 23 (b) was repeated. In a letter dated 14 June 1971, the Secretary of the Commission, Mr. R. V. Melville, informed me that Smith’s africanoides is a nomen oblitum in terms of the said Article, and that as its existence was made known prior to the adoption of Declaration 43 in December 1970 (I.C.Z.N. 1970), it can only be re-established as a valid name by the Com- mission exercising its plenary powers. In the light of Mr. Melville’s other comments, and on account of the fact that a Natal population of this oxpecker now hardly exists, I have not felt it necessary to take the requisite steps to have Smith’s long over-looked name validated. To summarize: my 1962 revision of the species is adjusted in the light of the description of two additional subspecific taxa: B. e. angolensis (1968) and B. e. bestiarum (1970). B. e. angolensis is recognised, while B. e. bestiarum is merged with B. e. scotinus, the range of which is enlarged to cover the populations ranging from the southern aspects of the Kenya highlands, south to southern Mozambique. B. e. caffer is now interpreted as a dry country race, extending from the eastern Kalahari, east to western Rhodesia and the Transvaal, and with a former more extensive range to the southward. References: Benson, C. W. & Hall, B. P. 1969 Buphaga Africanoides A. Smith, 1831 a nomen oblitum? Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 89 (2): 38. Benson, C. W., Brooke, R. K., Dowsett, R. J. & Stuart Irwin, M. P. 1970. Notes on the Birds of Zambia: Part V. Arnoldia Rhod. 4 (40): 40-42. Brooke, R. K. 1970. Jn Benson, Brooke, Dowsett & Irwin, Notes on the Birds of Zambia: Part V. Arnoldia Rhod., 4 (40): 41. Clancey, P. A. 1962. An additional race of Buphagus erythrorhynchus (Stanley) from the Somali Arid District. Bu//. Brit. Orn. Cl. 81 (1): 19, 20. — 1968. On the name of a race of Buphagus erythrorhynchus (Stanley). Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 88 (8): 135, 172. — 1969. Buphaga Africanoides A. Smith, 1831 a nomen oblitum? Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 89 (2): 38. Clancey, P. A. & Lawson, W. J. 1961. On the polytypic variation of the Red-billed Ox- pecker Buphagus erythrorhynchus (Stanley), with the characters of a new subspecies. Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 81 (7): 128-131. Grote, H. 1927. Buphagus caffer erythrorhynchus, subsp. nov. Ornith. Monatsber. 35: 13. International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. 1970. Declaration 43, Repeal of Article 23 (b). Bull. Zool. Nomencl. 27: 135-163. | Pinto, A. A. da Rosa. 1968. Algumas formas novas para Angola e outras para a Ciencia descobertas no distrito Cuando-Cubango (Angola). Bonner Zool. Beitr. 19: 280-288. Ridgway, R. 1912. Color Standards and Color Nomenclature. Washington. Sclater, W. L. 1930. Systema Avium Aethiopicarum, part 2: 671. London. Address: Durban Museum, Smith St., Durban, 4001, S. Africa. [Bull, B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] 106 Agapornis swinderniana in Ghana by D. W. Snow Received 28 June 1976 The Black-collared Lovebird Agapornis swinderniana, the only member of its genus confined to humid evergreen forest, is widely distributed in the Cameroun and Congo forest region and known from a few localities in Liberia about 2000 km to the west. The Liberian population, nominate swinderniana, differs in colour from the Cameroun race, zenkeri, having a much less bright and less extensive suffusion of red or orange below the black of the. collar. While examining specimens of Agapornis in the British Museum (Natural History) I found a specimen of A. swinderniana collected by Boyd Alexander, labelled “‘Sheramassi, Gold Coast Colony” and dated/10 February 1902. In colour it resembles specimens from Liberia, about 900 km to the west, except that the orange suffusion on the hind neck and breast is a good deal stronger and mote extensive. In this it tends towards zenkeri. The ends of the flight-feathers have been cut cleanly off, as though with scissors, suggesting that the bird may have been in captivity. Boyd Alexander collected in the Gold Coast (Ghana) between September 1901 and May 1902, but not very extensively as he was engaged in military operations. He had earlier made a very thorough collection in the country. Details of his itinerary appear not to be known, but he was apparently moving slowly northwards between February and April. There is a specimen from ““Gugu” collected on 6 Febru- ary, then the ‘‘Sheramassi’”’ specimen, and then none until 4 — 11 March, when specimens were collected at Kintampo (8° 06’ N, 1° 40’ W). On 18 April specimens were collected at Gambaga (10° 31’ N, 0° 22’ W). Boyd Alexander labelled these two latter localities ‘‘“Gold Coast hinterland’’, whereas Sheramassi and Gugu were labelled “Gold Coast Colony”’. For locating for me the probable position of Sheramassi I am indebted to Dr. Llewellyn Grimes, recently of the University of Ghana, who points out (zn litt.) that Boyd Alexander was clearly using a phonetic spelling. There is no “‘sh” spelling in Ghana, but the sh sound is written “hy” or possible “hw”’. There is in fact a place called ““Hweremasi”’ at 6° 46’ N, 1° 24’ W, between Kumasi and Mampong, in what would have been good forest in 1902. It seems very likely that this is where Boyd Alexander obtained his specimen, a deduction supported by the fact that there is a place called Agogo about 30 km to the east of Hweremasi, which may well be the “‘Gugu” where he collected a specimen four days earlier. Accordingly it is intended to show Hweremasi as a locality for Agapornis swinderniana in the Atlas of speciation in African non-passerine birds, now in pteparation. There is no obvious reason why A. swinderniana should be confined to a small area of forest in Liberia, since the Upper Guinea forest once extended continuously from Sierra Leone and Liberia east to eastern Ghana; but it is curious that it is apparently so rare or else very patchly distributed. It is also surprising that Boyd Alexander’s specimen should have been overlooked for so long, since it was registered with the rest of his Ghana collections in 1930. Address: British Museum (Natural History), Tring, Hertfordshire, England. Me [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] Comments on the races of Lybius melanocephalus (Cretzschmar) in Ethiopia by C. Erard Received 3 June 1976 Urban & Brown (1971), relying on White (1965), give only two races of Lybius melanocephalus for Ethiopia: the nominate in the northeast, in the north of the Rift Valley, and in the southeast; and L. m. stigmatothorax (Cabanis) in the west and south, including the south of the Rift. In the material collected during various expeditions from the Laboratoire de Zoologie (Mammiféres et Oiseaux) du Muséum National d’ Histoire Naturelle, Paris, there are specimens of L. . blandi (Phillips), which White (1965 : 259) confines to “‘Northern Somalia”. In fact b/andi has been collected not only in the north at Run, 60 km northeast of Garoe (8° 48’ N, 48° 52’ E), but also by Roche in central and southern ex-Italian Somalia, near to Bugda Acable (4° 03’ N, 45° 10’ E) and Afmadu (0° 27’ N, 42° 05’ E) (Berlioz & Roche 1963, Roche 1975: 121). In Ethiopia proper, Erlanger (1905: 491-492) collected 11 specimens which he assigned to b/andi, in Arussi, Ennia-Gallaland, Gurra and Garre- Liwin. Further south he recorded stigmatothorax: 9, Malka-Ree, Dawa River; 2, Sidimun, near Bardera; 3g, 9, Kismayu. In fact, due to a lack of com- parative material, the differences between the two forms were not well presented by Erlanger; he regarded them as conspecific, but nevertheless, in accord with the practice of many systematists of that time, as specifically distinct from melanocephalus. Thus he attached undue importance to the relative size of the beak and the presence or absence of a small patch of red. on the centre of the chest. He also thought that speckling on the crown, chin and throat was connected with age, although he should have been aware from his considerable series of specimens that this was not so. Reviewing Erlanger’s material, Zedlitz (1915: 14-15) made the same mistake in attributing subspecific significance to characters which reflected merely individual variation. Neither he nor Erlanger appreciated that they were dealing with one race, namely b/andi. If Zedlitz had been aware of the true characters of stigwatothorax, he would not have written:—‘“‘Wenn die Form b/andi nicht schon bestande und von vielen namhaften Forschern anerkannt worden ware, wiirde ich meinerseits keine Teilung befiirworten’”’, in assigning all Erlanger’s specimens to that form. Thus this material remained improperly determined, with b/andi believed to be restricted to that part of Somalia whence it had been described originally. . Fortunately Erlanger’s specimens still exist in the Natur-Museum und Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, Frankfurt-am-Main, and thanks to the kindness of Dr. J. Steinbacher we have been able to examine them. The black of the plumage of nominate me/anocephalus is replaced by brown, and there is cream or pale yellow speckling (the latter colour in fresh plumage) on the crown, chin and throat, of the following which belong without doubt to blandi:—3, Ali Dera (¢ 8° 45’ N, 42° E); 9, Harro Ruffa (9° 24’ N, 41° 44’ E); Q, Haroroba (8° 11’ N, 40° 32’ E); 3, Huluko (6° 59’ N, 40° 44’ E); 3, Kata, Mane (6° 32’ N, 40° 41’ E); g, Burka (6° 13’ N, 40° 54’ E); 9, Harra-Ali (6° 08’ N, 41° o1’ E); 2¢g, Darassum (5° 52’ N, 41° 08’ E); 9, Malka-Ree, Dawa River (3° 59’ N, 41° 54’ E); 3, 9, Djeroko (3° 27’ N, 41° 15’ E); 9, [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] 108 Sidimun (2° 25’ N, 42° 05’ E); 3g, 9, Kismayu (0° 25’ N, 42° 31’ E). The first eight localities are in Ethiopia (provinces of Harrar and Bale), the others in the south of ex-Italian Somalia. To the material collected by Erlanger can be added that obtained by J. Prévost, G. Jarry and the author in 1971, as follows :—3g, 15-19 February, between 30 km west and 50 km southeast of Ghinir (7° 06’ N, 40° 40’ B), province of Arussi; 3, 26 November, 45 km northwest of Bogol-Mayo (4° 34’ N, 41° 29’ E); 3, 27 November, 36 km west-northwest of Filtu (5° 08’ N, 40° 35’ E); 9, 1 December, near Debuluk (4° 15’ N, 38° 10’ EB), 75 km south of Yavello. The last three localities are in the province of Sidamo. The final specimen is of interest in that it is intermediate between blandi and stigmatothorax. L. m. stigmatothorax is characterised by dark sooty brown on the head, back, chin and throat, instead of pale brown tinged chocolate as in b/andi, and by an absence of speckling on the crown, chin and throat. The Debuluk specimen is close to stigmatothorax in colour, although the brown is slightly paler, and has yellowish white speckling on the anterior half of the crown and on the chin. It was adult, and the presence of speckling is not related to age. Furthermore, speckling in juveniles of b/andi is more whitish, “cotton-like’’, as far as can be judged from a specimen collected by Erlanger at Ali-Dera. Commenting on the specimen from Afmadu, Berlioz & Roche (1963) considered that, in view of the small red pectoral spot, it was intermediate between stigmatothorax and blandi. Sach a spot is not peculiar to stigmatothorax since it is apparent in five out of 15 nominate melanocephalus and eight out of 25 blandi examined, exclusive of individuals showing a trace of orange- yellow. Erlanger (1905: 492) attributed specimens from Malka-Ree, Sidimun and Kismayu to s#igmatothorax on account of the red pectoral spot and especially the heavier bill. It is true that those from Kismayu are relatively large-billed, but this does not apply to the others. Robustness of bill is variable in speci- mens of all three forms examined. The only specimen examined which is definitely intermediate between stigmatothorax and blandi is the one from Debuluk. Benson (1946: 28) emphasised that two males obtained at Yavello (4° 57’ N, 38° 08’ E) were blackish rather than brownish on the lower throat and down the centre of the chest, with the crown more blue-black, less brown-black, than in stigma- tothorax. He assigned them to nominate melanocephalus, but only had material from Kenya for comparison. We collected 2gg and 12 on 2 December 1971, 52 km west of Yavello. These are clearly st7gwatothorax, although in the males the hind part of the crown and the upper mantle are more blackish than (Paris) specimens from Kenya. They are quite different from true me/ano- cephalus, which has the crown, the cheeks and the upper mantle a dark black with blue reflections and the chin and throat dull black. To conclude, Lybius melanocephalus blandi (Phillips) must be regarded as occurring in Ethiopia. Its distribution includes eastern ex-British Somaliland (cf Archer & Godman 1961), the southeast of Ethiopia (provinces of Harrar, Bale, Arussi and the southeast of Sidamo), and ex-Italian Somaliland as a whole. In northwestern Somalia and the northeast of the province of Harrar into the north of the Rift Valley in Ethiopia it is replaced by nominate melanocephalus, and in southern Ethiopia west of Yavello by stigmatothorax. 109 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)]} Acknowledgements: We express our thanks to Dr. J. Steinbacher, who kindly lent us the specimens collected by C. F. von Erlanger; and to our friend C. W. Benson, who has commented on and translated the text of this paper. References: Archer, G. F. & Godman, E. M. 1961. The birds of British Somaliland and the Gulf of Aden 3. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd. Benson, C. W. 1946. Notes on the birds of southern Abyssinia. /bis 88: 25-48. Berlioz, J. & Roche, J. 1963. Etude d’une collection d’oiseaux de la Somalie. Bu//. Mus. nat. Hist. Nat., Paris 2(35): 580-592. Erlanger, C. F. von. 1905. Beitrage zur vogelfauna nordostafrikas. Journ. Ornith. 53: 432- 499. Roche, J. 1975. Recherches ornithologiques en République de Somalie. Monitore Zool. Ital. (n.s.) Suppl. 6: 103-140. Urban, E. K. & Brown, L. H. 1971. A Check-list of the Birds of Ethiopia. Addis Ababa: Haile Sellasie I University Press. White, C. M. N. 1965. A Revised Check-list of African non-Passerine Birds. Lusaka: Govern- ment Printer. Zedlitz, O. G. 1915. Das siid-Somaliland als zoogeographisches gebiet. Journ. Ornith. 63: 1-69. Address: Muséum National d’ Histoire Naturelle, 55 Rue de Buffon, 75-Paris (V°). Chaplin’s Barbet Lydius chaplini: first description of eggs, a new host record for the Lesser Honeyguide Indicator minor by J. F. R. Colebrook- Robjent & R. Styernstedt Received 13 April 1976 Chaplin’s Barbet Lybius chaplini is to be treated as a full species (P. A. Clancey in litt.) in the forthcoming Atlas of African Non-Passerines to be published by the British Museum (Natural History). It is a relict species confined to the Southern and Central Provinces of Zambia. It is known to nest in holes in dead branches, but the eggs have never been described. Benson ef a/. (1971) give four breeding records, based on evidence other than eggs, one each for the months of August, September, October and February. On 14 October 1975 J.C-R. and J. C. Sweetman investigated a nest hole of Chaplin’s Barbet at Ringwood, 22 km southwest of Choma. The nest was 8 m up in the dead main trunk of an otherwise still living Sand Apple Parinari mobola, in a vlei with scattered trees, including figs. One of the pair left the nest tree before we reached it, but the incubating bird remained in the hole until it was cut open. Fig. 1 (drawn to scale) shows the long nest tunnel. The diameter of the entrance hole was 36 mm highand 40 mm wide. The back wall was approximately 20 mm thick at the narrowest point. The inside diameter of the nest chamber varied between 54 mm and 75 mm. The nest contained 3 eggs lying on fine wood dust, two of the barbet’s and one of a honeyguide. The barbet’s eggs are smooth-shelled long ovals with fine [Bull. B:0.C. 1976: 96(3)] 110 longitudinal ridges, measuring 24-8 x 17°8 (3:7 g) and 24:6 x 18-0 mm (3:9 g). They contained large embryos, but with sufficient yolk to see that it was of a deep orange-yellow characteristic of eggs of this family. The honeyguide’s egg is glossy and rounded at both ends and measures 22-2 X 16°6 mm (2-9 g). It contained a very large embryo which would have hatched within 36 hours, showing the vicious bill hooks as illustrated on Plate 5 in Friedmann (1955). This egg is too small to be that of a Greater Honeyguide Indicator indicator. It cannot be the egg of a Scaly-throated Honeyguide J. variegatus as this habitat is quite unsuited to it and according to Benson ef a/. it is entirely absent from the Southern Province plateau. The egg size and barbet host indicates that it is referable to the Lesser Honeyguide J. minor, a species of frequent occurence in the Choma area. Benson e¢ a/. give only one breeding record (September) for the Lesser Honeyguide, evidently referring to an unaccompanied juvenile as no host species is given. Figure 1: Cross section of Chaplin’s Barbet Lybius chaplini nest hole (to scale). Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1962) state that the call is unrecorded, although Winterbottom (1932) had described it as “‘a loud, cackling sound, suggestive of demoniacal laughter, and quite unmistakable”. On 29 April 1974 R. S. recorded on tape the call of this species at Muckleneuk, near Choma. Certainly it is unmistakable, and may be described as a loud, strident, Ill [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] ratchet-likie noise, harsh and high-pitched. There was a party of four indi- viduals in a fig tree, probably only two of them contributing vocally and simultaneously each at a slightly different speed and pitch, e.g. bird “A” at ¢. 10 beats per second, bird ““B” at ¢, 16 beats per second (and higher pitched). Sometimes one or the other gave its series of notes in “bursts” rather than in an even series, e.g. 8 groups per second, each group being of three notes. In the same tree were five Black-collared Barbets L. torguatus which also broke out into territorial song-calls from time to time. There seemed to be a certain amount of inter-specific aggression between the two parties, which helps to confirm the statement in Benson e¢ a/. that these two species must be in competition. Acknowledgement: We are most grateful to C. W. Benson for improving a preliminary draft of this paper and for drawing our attention to the note by Dr. J. M. Winterbottom. References: Benson, C. W., Brooke, R. K., Dowsett, R. J. & Irwin, M. P. S. 1971. The Birds of Zambia. London: Collins. Friedmann, H. 1955. The Honey-Guides. U.S.N.M. Bull, 208. Mackworth-Praed, C. W. & Grant, C. H. B. 1962. African Handbook of Birds: Birds of the southern third of Africa. Vol. 1. London: Longmans. Winterbottom, J. M. 1932. On Chaplin’s Barbet. /bis: 13(2): 722-723. Address: Musumanene, P.O. Box 303, Choma, Zambia. IN BRIEF (a) The first recorded nest of the Pink-breasted Lark. Mirafra poecilosterna (Reichenow) The Pink-breasted Lark Mirafra poecilosterna is recorded in Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1955: 20-21) as “breeding in northern Guaso Nyiro, Kenya, March” and “in South Abyssinia (breeding condition), March”. There are no other records known except of two young birds, of which P. L. Britton collected one (now in the National Museum, Nairobi), soliciting attention or food, near Wamba, Samburu District, Kenya on 31 July 1971. On 12 December 1975 I found a nest of this species containing two eggs, near Irima Hill about 12 km north of Voi in Tsavo National Park (East), Kenya. The nest was under a Bauhinia taitensis bush 0-3 m high and ¢ 5 m from a dirt road, surrounded by fairly dense bushes, mostly ¢ 2 m high. The nest was simply a depression in the red sandy soil lined with dry grass. The eggs were pale grey covered fairly evenly with chocolate-brown spots. On 19 December the nest was found to be empty. I have another five records from Tsavo East which imply breeding—one of a pair copulating, one of a bird carrying food and three of birds carrying [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(3)] 112 nest material. All were in November—December except one in April. In Tsavo these are months when rain can be expected. 2 May 1976 Peter C. Lack Reference: Mackworth-Praed, C. W. & Grant, C. H. B. 1955. Birds of Eastern and North-Eastern Africa. Vol. 2. Longmans, Green and Co., London. Address: 'Tsavo Reseatch Project, P.O. Box 14, Voi, Kenya. (b) The name of Eleonora’s Falcon A curtent practice of systematists (e.g. Vaurie 1965) is to cite the provenance of Falco eleonorae as ““Géné, 1839, Rev. Zool., p. 105. Sardinia”. This contains a trivial error in that the author’s name was Gené (single accent); but the matter goes further than that. The publication cited was not by Gené himself but was an anonymous news-item based on his exhibition and naming of a specimen, sent to him from Sardinia, at a meeting of the ““Academie Royale de Turin” earlier in the year; the author’s own paper appeared in the proceedings in 1840. This “‘leak”” has unfortunately scooped the priority; moreover it is inaccurate both in introducing the misspelling of the author’s name and in giving the date of the meeting as 1829 (making one look for a publication in or soon after that year, instead of 1839). The British Museum Catalogue (Sharpe 1874) cites the 1840 as well as the 1839 reference—a very desirable practice where the prior publication is not the definitive one. Vaughan (1961), in his comprehensive paper on the species, had these facts correctly. It is of curious interest that the name was explicitly given in honour of Eleonora d’Arborea (d. 1404), a heroine of Sardinia’s struggle for independence, because she had promulgated a law protecting goshawks and falcons at their nests. 24 June 1976 A. Landsborough Thomson References: Travaux inédits. 1839. Revenue Zoologigue 1839: 105. Gené, G. 1840. Memoria della Reale Accademia della Scienze di Torino Serie 11, Tomo II: 41-48. Sharpe, R. B. 1874. Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum 1: 404. Vaughan, R. 1961. [bis 103a: 114-128. Vaurie, C. 1965. The Birds of the Palearctic Fauna Non-Passeriformes: 226. Address: 42 Girdwood Road, London, SW18 5QS. pe a gh Di Peart he att at She fe ly sce, ag he mes Ua tn eT , rs ts aa —— a ae | Air. * bad cvs 4 ‘ Seas — 3 mn ENE eh a Sra ‘ rh A idk 2 Pa ‘ *. 3 ; . ym 4 " wre ere s' ‘ see at ee OF a was bag ois My) ORs Dye Ao é ‘Ae TY 1) : re ey ; Lhe A a ats PI btTAE on x: Airsdenht: ait ye peniiagert = ieee i 2 Saal rh ai Ee i be 3 AgtiE re ft ; ie VABYBi BT ao BaP) uhh ceo Sete sn “.. ry as rae F (it ele cant: Yt sah A se ay be ‘se iandee Wb aTrigaect ab he on trite ari wie ie 3% aes ia eet tbe wy ds Ms we a Ns ary ut Sut sz af ee oti Ts 302 i pacha zi gamer HIE ae vate Pe ee Be Ley “ OE gti mia a fear dhe 2S. ERE AI Ts hs 4 Mei sis swish ¥ bis a TAd set a ra vs LS tay ls tee ame | gy IDD he | a rei eats ors: et) it fi ijt: tb cy ip vous yA ry bares Yitots Api? ‘fitiss - (ee ged anc, ae ite DET RES 2 sat seat M1 1s CR Ate de cris sphere I> pa { Ss SS. Scio BRA? BO 936 i¢yot eA: 2 ow cv ei | " eld > . i j be ’ Sysc0al sn ead —? .., . ~~ bei ty res age i ce , Be et «1 rt ry ; : ee | ; ORS Sa Ne, Sam meains es fai acet. ep Rass) 4s p> ae os a > ’ } Mitdy i ef hart OF ea - Pied al aot pony a) ' as art + ~# Pye nae > ake agin 3 Whe yas iy ? erat hii. y ¥¢ ‘5 <7 i \ ¢ ae “sty j . ~- % ‘ _ “~ ween , i a’ te A Oo eA r * t 4 : eg Pe eh ae i 4 _ « ‘ er ke Gi id e \ . \ _. h _~ . F Pana a ia} F 74 3h) ~ 3%) 5 ‘ Wiis. ou) as acs wONaditiPh as Peeindeansh eee ota we ge Ugh FEF Sa OST Halt ae. tal 2 ie Ml byt tie Rey KIO TO ener Geos eit one gee Oty Sin tue bese tt Adit br Perera as tigen aT y sins ng ree iy sf? pimat ss ike in tess aaasib. wares ates. dots Boe TNE Bast yt a 7 . “ es sd pig? a. : pepe me ia y EA 4 a. : " 7 4 He “ 7 7.9 r; ss * : - . ‘7? 4 < Pay bat a bari.’ Besta y Meebo Boley ae opsepny reat ‘Vises ~ + as, . : . : be MRIs) KC ae PreT OS OP Sorte 4 “ - * »~ “ sb OS ey FF Py “th WALA te } 17:4)" 4 WETS tuere eA s ‘ 4 4 4. a 2 Py. Py ¥ F ‘ 4 _< * “ Pay tala ii oti Pos petted (bie Fykiees igh ae cizs MANY SES 8 Nae ol i bi J P oi »1 94 ‘ ~~" . A ; wi! 53 teh baa”. de 4 Kal iz Dae iii wie) TR MN ML OS epee al = . i= 10 we } : ° Z <4 F : ~ ‘a * A MA hares eg oe ph IEE notably gee. ig= poker LP 8 . : me . ihe A NOTICE TO CONTRIBUTORS Papers, whether by Club Members or by non-members, should be sent to the Editor, Dr. J. F. Monk, The Glebe Cottage, Goring, Reading RG8 9AP, and are accepted on the understanding that they are offered solely for publication in the Bulletin. They should be typed on one side of the paper, with double- spacing and a wide margin, and submitted in duplicate. Scientific nomenclature and the style and lay-out of papers and of Refer- ences should conform with usage in this or recent issues of the Bulletin, unless a departure is explained and justified. 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MONK Volume 96 No. 4 December 1976 FORTHCOMING MEETINGS Tuesday, 18 January 1977 at 6.30 p.m. for 7 p.m. at the Goat Tavern, 3 Stafford Street, London, W.1 (between Old Bond Street and Albermarle Street, nearest underground station Green Park). Dr. Peter Ward will speak on Palaearctic migrants in Nigeria. Those wishing to attend must send a cheque for £2°30 per person to the Hon. Secretary, with their acceptance on the enclosed slip. Tuesday, 15 March 1977 at 6 p.m. in the Lecture Theatre at the British Museum (Natural History), Cromwell Road, London, S.W.7. Mr. J. M. Forshaw, the author of the well- known monograph on parrots, will give a talk on the ecology of parrots in Australia and theit adaptations to changing environments, with coloured illustration. Supper will follow at 7.15 p.m. in the Conversazione Room. Members wishing to attend must inform the Hon. Secretary by Thursday, 10 March 1977 and send him at the same time a cheque for {2:70 per person for the cost of supper (including wine or soft drinks). PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS MEETING IS AT 6 p.m. This meeting is being held jointly with the International Council for Bird Preservation (British Section). Tuesday, 3 May 1977 at 6.15 p.m. for 6.45 p.m. at the Senior Common Room, South Side, Imperial College, South Kensington (entrance in Princes Gardens, $.W.7, off Exhibition Road). A symposium on Asiatic Birds, at which the speakers will include Lord Medway on Migrants in Malaysia, Mr. M. W. Woodcock on the Indian Avifauna and Mr. I. C. Orr on Ornithology in China. Tuesday, 19 July 1977 at 6.30 p.m. for 7 p.m. at the Goat Tavern, 3 Stafford Street, London, W.1, Mr. Stanley Cramp on The Birds of the Western Palaearctic (Vol. I of which it is hoped will be published in May 1977). COMMITTEE J. H. Elgood (Chairman) P. Hogg (Vice-Chairman) R. E. F. Peal (Hon. Secretary) M. St. J. Sugg (Hon. Treasurer) Dr. J. F. Monk (Editor) Mrs. J. D. Bradley Dr. C. J. O. Harrison C. E. Wheeler Dr. G. Beven as 17. Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)] Bulletin of the BRITISH RANI THOLOEISTS: CLUB Vol. 96 No. 4 Published: 20 December 1976 The seven hundred and second Meeting of the Club was held at the Senior Common Room, South Side, Imperial College, London, S.W.7 at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, 21 September 1976. Chairman: Professor J. H. Elgood: present 17 members and 10 guests. Dr. M. P. Harris gave an illustrated talk on Puffins on St. Kilda, with special reference to their fluctuations in numbers, both there and at other breeding colonies in the British Isles. The seven hundred and third Meeting of the Club was held at the Senior Common Room, South Side, Imperial College, London, S.W.7 at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, 16 November 1976. Chairman: Professor J. H. Elgood: present 16 members and 11 guests. Dr. H. N. Southern spoke on A population of Tawny Owls. He discussed relationships between the Tawny Owls at Wytham Wood, Oxford, and their prey and the changes there in size of breeding population. He illustrated his talk with slides and played tape recordings showing that individual male Tawny Owls could be identified by voice alone. The duets of Laniarius atroflavus, Cisticola discolor and Bradypterus barrathi by L. G. Grimes Received 6 May 1976 When Thorpe (1972) reviewed the occurrence of duetting in birds there were no recordings, only verbal descriptions, of the duets of three species which occur on Mount Cameroun (4095 m): the Yellow-breasted Shrike Laniarius atroflavus, the Brown-backed Warbler C7sticola discolor (Serle 1950, 1965), and the East African and South African races of the Evergreen-forest Warbler Bradypterus barratti (Vincent 1935, Moreau 1941). During a stay of eight days in the montane forest, beginning 30 December 1974, I tape- recorded the duets of all three species, using a Phillips cassette tape-recorder (Model 2205) with a microphone (Phillips EL 1980/03) placed at the focus of a parabola (0-6 m in diameter). Sonograms of sections of these recordings were made using a Kaye Sonograph (Model 66IA) operating in the wide band mode. For comparative studies I made sonograms of the duets of relevant species using the published recordings of Chappuis (1974). RESULTS The Yellow-breasted Shrike Laniarius atroflavus was located at all altitudes within the montane forest. Duetting was regularly heard each day in specific areas. In a wooded ravine at 1900 m just above Hut I (1830 m) these duetting bouts probably always involved the same pair, but no birds were ringed for identification, and the main function of duetting appeared to be territorial. Some of the longer duet sequences were obtained either by [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)] 114 playback to a pair of a recorded duet, either their own or that of another pair, ot when a second pair was present. Birds duetting in the canopy, often in sight of each other, would invariably approach the tape-recorder on hearing the playback and continue to duet. A similar response to playback of duets occurs in L. barbarus and L. erythrogaster (Thorpe 1972). In one series of L. atroflavus duets, with both birds on the same side of the tape-recorder, the mean reaction time was 145-10 (sd) msec and the mean time interval between duets was 4:45-0-12 (sd) sec. The frequency/time profile of the first component of a atroflavus duet invariably had the inverted U profile shown in Fig. 1. The general lack of variability in its profile is in marked contrast to the variability found in the duets of barbarus and erythrogaster (Thorpe 1972). The second component (Fig. 1) is a single “clicking” note described by Serle (1965) as ‘“‘chook’’, KHy ! 4 4 4 2 2 2 | | | 1 2 3 4 4 KHy 3 3 | 2 2 | | 4 5 Lf, 4 4 4 4 kHy > 3 3 3 | 2 2 2 2 I Nas | |- 6 7 8 [owas ne 6) 1OSEC. Figure 1. Diagrammatic sound spectograms (1-5) of the first component and (6-9) of the complete duet of Laniarius atroflavus (male? dark, female? hatched. 1-5 are taken from sepatate duet sequences and 6-9 from one duet sequence. and is very similar to that given by barbarus, although in barbarus two ot three such notes are added in response to the first component. It is, however, quite different from the response of erythrogaster, which is described as a prolonged snarl in which the frequency range is smaller than in the other two shrikes (Thorpe 1972: 112). The Brown-backed Warbler Cisticola discolor was the most vocal of the birds encountered on the mountain, and duetting was also heard below the forest belt, in grassland near Great Sopo (850 m). Paits were breeding at all elevations within the forest. Territorial counter duetting between pairs was frequent and regularly occurred in the same locations day after day so that 115 [Bull, B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)] territorial boundaries were easily traceable. All duets recorded were in response to either duets of neighbouring pairs or playback of a recorded duet. After playback the birds approached within a few metres of the tape- recorder and duetted, and this was often accompanied by audible wing flapping by both birds, more strenuously so by one (male?), which also bobbed up and down. Whenever one bird began its duet theme the second bird, if separate from it, would fly to the first before joining in the duet; duetting at a distance with the birds out of sight of each other was not recorded. This coming together of the two birds has been noted in C. nigricolis and C’. hunteri (Thorpe 1972). 0 |OSEC Figure 2. Diagrammatic sound spectograms of eight themes (A—H) used as the first component (? male) in 31 duet sequences of one pair of Cisticola discolor recorded in the eucalyptus plantation above Buea, 28 December 1974. The beginning of the next theme in the duet sequence is included in each diagram. [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)] 116 Because of slight differences in the timing of the two components of a single duetting pair it was possible unambiguously to identify the notes of each bird by comparing sonograms of two or more sections of a duet. Each component (Figs. 2, 3) consisted of the regularly spaced (timed) repetition KHy 0) “=. “Sof ms 4 ine) y ! Ap AL O lOSEC Figure 3. Diagrammatic sound spectograms of four examples of the second component used in 31 duet sequences of Cisticola discolor recorded in the eucalyptus plantation on 28 December 1974 (see Fig. 2). Each line shows a continuous recording. of a phrase (consisting of a series of notes). Whereas the phrase of one bird (male?) carried considerably from one duet to the next (Fig. 2), the same variations re-occurring in later duets, the phrases of the second bird were much more regular and varied little between duets (Fig. 3). Analysis of [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)] 117 SE ‘Aep yova soleus sues oy} 9q 0} pounsse oJaM pur ATIep JoYIIY} JO soyoied ous 94} WOIF SUIZUIS 919M SpIIq 94], ‘ayJOUR JUO 0} asuOdsaz UT BUISUIS 1440440g SnsatAposg 2TeUI OMY Aq pasn saouanbas Suos ay} Jo surezZoyeds punos snewUIEIseIqT “V Ins 94SO! (0) Se. See 3 Se ee WV NVIYOVEYAY WMA EMC Wye \ VAN ANAM SZ6l¥Ol g 2 v VA VA Vy Vy Vi AAW AAEM 9 PPP Pre ae SZ6l YOTOAY4SISL NAA (A A AAA v [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)] 118 duets of other pairs of C.. discolour which I recorded on the mountain together with those recorded by Chappuis (1974) showed that whereas the phrases of the first component were different for each pair, none coinciding with those in Fig. 2, the second component of the duet and its oscillatory nature varied little between duetting pairs. The male Evergreen-forest Warbler Bradypterus barratti was also very vocal during my stay on the mountain, usually singing from within dense thicket, creeping slowly through it between bouts of song. Males in song were invariably singing in response to neighbouring conspecifics and the function of the song appears, therefore, to be mainly territorial. A playback of a song always brought the singing bird nearer the tape-recorder, and resulted in further song. Serle (1965: 91) describes the song as “loud, explosive in quality, unvaried in pitch and rhythm” consisting of a number of repetitions of one phrase “‘o-chip, o-chip, o-chip”’, etc. On several oc- casions I noted aurally that one warbler was singing the same song as a neighbour, only to be proved wrong by the sonograms. These (Fig. 4) show that a male has a large number of song types which are quite different from those used by neighbours singing in competition. Other Evergreen- forest Warblers recorded at various heights on the mountain all showed this variability which suggests that a complex system of dialects exist. It is while the male sings his loud song that the female may join in a duet, adding in contrast a series of weak whistling notes (Fig. 5), only audible within a few A hat ML AAA — a a a a | fe) |OSEC Figure 5. Diagrammatic sound spectograms of the duet structures of Bradypterus barratti recorded near the forest-grassland boundary at 2100 m on Mount Cameroun. Male dark, female open symbols. KH3 metres of the singing bird. As the pair are close together when they duet and visible to each other it is difficult to suggest a function for the duet, unless it is linked to courtship. It is hoped that this vocalization data on the Cameroun race, (B. p. lopezi), will be made use of in a comparative study of the other allopatric races, B. b. mariae in East Africa and B. b. barratti south of the Zambesi. DISCUSSION When Hall & Moreau (1970) highlighted the uncertainties in the taxo- nomic relationships of some African passerines they based their conclusions 119 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)] on their distribution patterns and morphological data, and it is only recently that data on vocalizations have become available for use in taxonomix studies (Chappuis 1974, Grimes 1974). Lanyon (1969) has indicated the use of such data but the limitations and need for care in interpreting the data has been emphasised by Smith (1970) and Nottebohm (1975). In particular, if the species being compared learn their duets and are allopatric it would not be surprising if their duets were different in structure even though the species were closely related. The four montane cisticolas of Africa (C’. chubbi, C’.. discolor, C. nigricolis and C’. hunteri) duet and are all allopatric. Lynes (1930) considered them as four species, White (1962) regarded them as conspecific, and Hall & Moreau (1970) considered three were conspecific and hunteri a distinct species. The complexity of the duet patterns of individual d/sco/or and the variability found within the Cameroun mountain population suggest that the duets are learnt. Some variability also has been found in the three other cisticolas (Thorpe 1972). Differences in the duet structures of the four allopatric species might, therefore, be expected and indeed do occur; typical duets of chubbi, nigrocolis and hunter are illustrated in Thorpe (1972). Whereas the duets of nigroci/is and hunteri have little in common and are quite distinct from those of chubbi and discolor, which latter two have close similarities. This prompted Chappuis (1974) to suggest that chubbi and discolor were conspecific, but this requires confirmation by further field experiments (Smith 1970): recently R. Sternstedt (in litt.) found that discolor showed no response to a playback of a duet of chubbi. Because of these facts I am inclined to follow Lynes (1930) and keep all four as species, but agree with Hall & Moreau (1970) that placing them in a superspecies Aynteri would indicate their close relationship. Hall & Moreau (1970) erect the superspecies Laniarius barbarus and include within it seven essentially allopatric shrikes (barbarus, erythrogaster, atrococ- cineus, mufumberi, atroflavus, ruficeps, /ubderi). All duet but only the duets of barbarus and erythrogaster have been studied in any detail (Thorpe 1972). The present study indicates that the duet structure of atroflavus has closer simi- larities to that of barbarus than erythrogaster, although the first component of a atroflavus duet lacks the variability found in those of the other two shrikes. The latter suggests that auditory signals are less important to atroflavus than to barbarus and erythrogaster and probably reflects the differences in their habitats; atroflavus living mostly in the open canopy of the montane forest whereas the others are birds of low dense thicket. Acknowledgements: 1 am grateful to the Frank M. Chapman Fund for financing my visit to Cameroun and the Revs. L. Martin and L., Scheffle for their help during my stay at Buea. Ithank Mr. F. Walsh and Dr. J. F. Monk for their helpful comments on the script. References: Chappuis, C. 1974. Illustration sonore de problemes bioacoustiques poses par les oiseaux de la zone Ethiopienne. A/auda 42(4): 467-500. Grimes, L. G. 1974. Duetting in Hypergerus atriceps and its taxonomic relationship to Eminia lepida. Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 93: 89-96. Hall, B. P. & Moreau, R. E. 1970. An Atlas of Speciation in African Passerine Birds, London: British Museum ’(Nat. Hist.). Lanyon, W. E. 1969. Vocal characters and avian systematics. In Bird Vocalizations (Ed. R.A. Hinde). 7 ok University Press. Lynes, H. 1930. Review of the genus Cvsticola. [bis Suppl. Moreau, R. E. 1941. Duetting in birds. /bis (14)5: 176-177. Nottebohm, F. 1975. Vocal behaviour in birds. In Avian Biology No. 5 (Ed. D. S. Farner & Jee King). Academic Press. [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)] 120 Serle, Ms Pome A contribution to the ornithology of the British Camerouns. Ibis 92: 343- 376, 602-638. — 1965. A third contribution to the ornithology of the British Camerouns. Jbis 107: 60-94, 230-246. Smith, W. J. 1970. The acquisition and function of vocal behaviour. Science 167: 39-41. Thorpe, W. H. 1972. Duetting and antiphonal song in birds. Behaviour Suppl. 18: Leiden. Vincent, J. 1935. The birds of Northern Portuguese East Africa. [bis (13) 5: 485-529. White, C. M. N. 1962. A check list of the Ethiopian Muscipidae (Sylviinae), Part 2 & 3 Occ. Pap. Natn. Mus. S. Rhod. 26B: 653-694, 695-738. Address: Rossall School, Fleetwood, Lancs. FY7 8JW. Additional notes on the status of Eos goodsellowi by D. T. Holyoak Received 20 May 1976 In an earlier note (Holyoak 1970) it was argued that the two living specimens from which Ogilvie-Grant (1907) described Eos goodfelloni were probably juveniles of Eos bornea, as suggested previously by Siebers (1930), and apparently overlooked by Peters (1937). Walters (1975) has recently argued that FE. goodfelloni was unlikely to have been based on juveniles of E. bornea because the birds seen by Ogilvie-Grant were said to have been obtained on Obi in the Moluccas, where EF. bornea has not been recorded, and because he considers that the coloration described by Ogilvie-Grant differs from that of juveniles of FE. bornea. He also comments that ““To accept E. goodfellowi as merely a juvenile of &. bornea would require that one accepted the existence of a hitherto unknown population of bornea on Obi”, and speculates that EZ. goodfellowi might be an “‘old”’ (s7c) and possibly extinct montane representa- tive of the genus on Obi; although he later obscures these arguments by also suggesting that the specimens obtained by Goodfellow might possibly have been inter-island vagrants. There is no evidence that the specimens originated in Obi nor that they were in fact “captured” on Obi as stated in my earlier paper: indeed, the most likely thing is that Goodfellow purchased two live bright red, caged parrots on a short visit to Obi. However, inter-island trade was well es- tablished by then and the origin of Goodfellow’s birds must be quite uncertain if they were cage birds, although if so, they are more likely to have been juveniles. Examination of the same three specimens in the collection of the British Museum (Natural History) on which I commented (1970) suggests to Walters that EF. goodfellowi is not the juvenile of FE. bornea. Ogilvie-Grant (1907) described goodfellowi as resembling EF. bornea (then known as EL. rubra), but having lavender-blue ear-coverts and the back and thighs purplish-blue, one bird having the feathers of the middle of the belly deeply edged with blue, the other lacking any blue on the belly. I have recently located additional specimens of FE. bornea showing some or all of these characters in the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH, New York) and the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle (MNHN, Paris). The relevant specimens and their characters may be enumerated as follows: AMNH 616962. Amboina, unsexed. Lavender-blue eat-coverts; deep lavender-blue thighs; a few lavender-blue marks on tips of belly feathers; : 121 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)] AMNH 616945. Buru, unsexed. A little lavender-blue on ear-coverts; some lavender- blue on thigh feathers although these are mostly missing ; lavender-blue feather tips in centre of belly; AMNH 616948. Buru, 9. Lavender-blue in feathers of ear-coverts; some lavender-blue in feathers of thighs and centre of belly; AMNH 616950. Buru, 3. Faint lavender-blue wash on feathers of ear-coverts; much lavender-blue on thigh feathers and in centre of lower belly; AMNH 616999. Little Key, Key Is. immature g. Dull lavender-blue ear-coverts; much lavender-blue on thighs and in centre of lower belly; AMNH 616995. Little Key Is. immature 3. Entirely lavender-blue ear-coverts ; middle of lower belly and thighs almost entirely lavender-blue. BM(NH) r910.12.28.101. Kei Is. g. Distinct lavender-blue ear-coverts; scattered feather tips of violet-blue on thighs and belly. BM(NH) 1913.6.10.47. Amboina, 9. Some lavender-blue on ear-coverts and a little violet-blue on thighs and belly; BM(NH) 1889.1.20.155. Labelled “‘Aru Islands’, but presumably in error, unsexed. Faint lavender-blue tips to feathers of ear-coverts and scattered violet-blue feather tips on thighs and belly; MNHN ex Museum Boucard, Coll. Wallace. Buru, 3. One tiny blue feather tip in ear- coverts; extensive lavender-blue on feather tips of thighs and lower belly; MNHN ex Coll. H. O. Forbes, no. 639. Buru, 3. Lacks blue on ear-coverts, but has scattered blue tips to feathers of thighs and lower belly; It is impossible to deduce how Ogilvie-Grant was able to suppose that lack of blue on the belly could decide maturity in goodfellowi (so that Walters’ comments are irrelevant on this point), especially as the relative extent of blue on the belly and ear-coverts varies considerably in the above specimens. AMNH 616962 has much blue on the ear-coverts but little on the belly, whereas several others have the opposite. Walters emphasises that the three BM(NH) specimens have “‘a great deal of brown on the belly”, which “‘is charactersitic of juvenile Hos’’, and “Had there been any brown on the live E. goodfellowi it seems unlikely that Ogilvie-Grant would have failed to notice it and realise that this signified immaturity”. The dull brown colour of juveniles is derived from the bases of the belly feathers and is only con- spicuous when the red or blue feather tips are worn or when the plumage is disarranged. The brown would probably be less conspicuous in a well- groomed live bird than in most skins, but is anyway inconspicuous in some skins (e.g. AMNH 616962). It is not impossible that E. goodfe/lowi is a montane endemic of Obi, since the birds of Obi are not very well known, but the only island where Los is represented by both montane and lowland forms is Seran (Ceram) which is a much larger island than Obi and with much more extensive montane forests. A more compelling objection however is that the known presence of two large lories on Obi, Fos squamata obiensis and Lorius garrulus flavopalliatus, suggests by analogy with other islands of similar size that a third is unlikely also to be present there. Collections from Obi do include a variety of small, inconspicuous forest birds, so it is perhaps unlikely that a third species of large and predominantly bright red lory that most likely lives in noisy flocks should have been overlooked there. Unless substantial evidence for the occurrence of a second species of Fos on Obi can be obtained it seems best to regard goodfel/oni as likely to have been based on introduced caged immatures of EF. bornea. I am grateful to the Departments of Ornithology of the American Museum of Natural History, British Museum (Natural History) and Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle for facilities to examine specimens in their care. [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)] 122 References: Holyoak, D. T. 1970. The status of Eos goodfellowi. Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 90: 91. Ogilvie-Grant, W. R. 1907. Fos goodfellowi sp. nov. Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 19: 102. Peters, J. L. 1937. Check-list of Birds of the World. Cambridge, Mass. Vol. III. Siebers, H. C. 1930. Fauna Buruana, Aves. Treubia 7, suppl. Walters, M. P. 1975. The status of Eos goodfellowi Ogilvie-Grant. Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 95: 129-131. Address: School of Biological Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, England. Caprimulgus afinis as an utban species in Indonesia by W. G. Harvey Received 27 May 1976 The habitat of Caprimulgus affinis is described as “open sandy and shingle beaches, on ridges with bare rocky areas” (Delacour), “bare and stony hills” (Smythies) and “‘open forest, scrub” (King e¢ a/.). Although I have recorded this nightjar feeding over rice fields near Jakarta and flushed it from sand beaches on the South Java coast, in parts of West Indonesia it is very much an urban species. I have recorded it since April 1974 in the towns of Medan, Padang, Palembang and Mentok (Bangka Island) in Sumatra, and in Jakarta on Java. D. A. Holmes (pers. comm.) can add Jambi and Telukbetung in Sumatra, and (since 1976) Bogor in Java. I did not see it in Banda Aceh (December) in Sumatra, in Pontianak (January) and Banjarmasin (December) in Kaliamantan, nor in Bandung (June and August), Jogyakarta (June and July) and Surabaya (June and July) in Java. Most records refer to birds flying over the urban area after dusk and calling. They are not common in the Sumatran towns, but they are very common in Jakarta, where, during April and May, it is not unusual to see up to 12 birds in the air at once or hear the call at up to 20 different places on a drive of no more than to km through the city. I have recorded the species in every month in Jakarta, but it is more conspicuous from March to July, when it probably breeds, at the end of the wettest season. The birds are usually seen flying slowly around lighted buildings after sunset, regularly calling—a distinct two note screech. Often several birds fly round together and oc- casionally courtship flights, involving a much slower version of the normal flight with wings struck vertically upwards and downwards, has been noted. Large buildings (e.g. the large hotels in the Menteng area) although not necessarily made attractive to flying insects by being lit outside, are neverthe- less attractive to nightjars, which are often seen perched (and calling) on their flat roofs. Occasionally daylight sightings of flushed birds have been recotded. It was thought that the nightjars might be nesting on the flat roofs in the manner of the Chordezles species in the United States, but several day time explorations by D. A. Holmes and myself have revealed nothing. If these roofs are not the normal breeding site, then either the birds nest, presumably colonially, on the very few areas of fenced in waste ground which are not invaded by human beings, or they nest outside the city (e.g. on golf courses) and come into the city to feed at night. The latter seems unlikely since numbers of birds moving into the city would presumably be observed. Since the urban habitat of C. affnis is not, apparently, mentioned es 123 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)] in the literature it may well be a recent development, which it would be of interest to follow-up throughout its range. References: Delacour, J. 1947. Birds of Malaysia. New York. King, B., Woodcock, M. & Dickinson, E. C. 1975. A Field Guide to the Birds of South East Asia. London. Smythies, B. E. 1960. The Birds of Borneo. Edinburgh & London. Address: c/o 17 Barton Road, Canterbury, Kent. The Ostrich Struthio camelus in Darfur, Republic of Sudan by R. T. Wilson Received 30 July 1976 INTRODUCTION Darfur occupies an area in excess of 400,000 km? in the northwest of the Republic of the Sudan, bounded to the south by the seasonal Bahr el ’Arab at about 9° 30’ N, stretching to the north at 29° N, to the west at ¢. 22° 30’ E and to the east at ¢. 27° E. The annual rainfall decreases from about 900 mm in the south to effectively nil in the north. The Jebel Marra, rising to about 3,000 m in the west-central area of the province, has some local effect on the otherwise even northwards reduction in rainfall. Altitude, with the exception of Jebel Marra and its associated uplands, varies little, being ¢c. 500-Goo m, and rainfall is the principal factor in deter- mining the vegetation pattern, although soil has some effect locally. In the south tall, fairly dense deciduous savanna woodland, dominated by Combre- tum hartmannianum, Anogeissus schimperi and Sclerocaryia birrea, with an understorey of tall perennial grasses, gives way gradually to thorn woodland at c. 11° N. The principal constituent of the latter is Acacia seyal on clay soils and Acacia senegal on sandy soils: medium height annual grasses, mainly Aristida spp. form the understorey. Semi-desert scrub, mainly Acacia melliferra and Acacia nubica dominate a transition zone from ¢. 12°-14° N, north of which true desert prevails, with the exception of some sparse vegetation in scattered depressions and watercourses. SOURCES OF DATA This paper is based on a survey of the literature pertaining to the supply of ostrich feathers and the distribution and abundance of the Ostrich Struthio camelus in the recent past; on observations by the author during 1972-1974 and in 1976, whilst living and working in Darfur; and on aerial surveys catried out in 1975 and 1976. An invaluable source of data has been the Intelligence Reports of the Sudan Government from 1892 to 1924. EARLY DISTRIBUTION AND IMPORTANCE Almost 200 years ago, W. G. Browne, one of the earliest of European travellers in the area, noted that Ostrich were common everywhere, and that ostrich feathers were both a principal item of trade and also formed a large part of the tribute of lesser chiefs to the Sultan of Darfur (Browne 1799). Ostrich feathers, along with slaves and ivory, were one of the principal exports of Darfur for very many years and Ostriches were kept as domestic animals by many families until well into the twentieth century. In the early [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)] 124 1870s the birds were reported to be very common in the east of Darfur and large bundles of feathers were seen rotting in the Sultan’s treasury (Nachtigal 1879, English translation 1971). During the Mahdiya, from ¢. 1880-1898 and during the reign of Sultan Ali Dinar 1898-1916, no Europeans visited Darfur and the distribution and abundance of Ostrich at this time are accordingly unknown, except that the military and civil intelligence reports contain several references to both Ostriches and feathers, and it is probable that numbers underwent a decline in the last two decades of the nineteenth century—one of the Sultan’s com- manders at one time resorted to the capture of 300 domestic birds from a local tribe (Sudan Intelligence Reports: No. 1, June 1892; No. 92, May 1902). Early in the twentieth century numbers appear to have increased, particularly in the northeast of Darfur (SIR No. 92, May 1902) and in the southwest (SIR No. 104, March 1903; No. 105, April 1903). Ostriches were still kept in captivity in large numbers as late as 1916, when every household among the Ma’aliya tribe was noted to have 2-3 birds (SIR No. 267, Oct. 1916), although it is not clear whether these were wild caught or bred in captivity. During the 1920s and 1930s considerable travel and exploration was possible in Darfur as a result not only of the pacification of the country but also due to the advent of the motor car. Ostriches were said (Maydon 1923) to be “very common” in the vicinity of Um Gereinat (16° 30’ N, 26° 45’ E) in herds of 50-100, and nests could be found everywhere containing 10-20 eggs: wandering Arabs were said to live almost entirely on these eggs. A year later in a similar longitude but at 18° N, a district officer discovered rock pictures of Ostrich as well as seeing many live birds (Newbold 1924) and again in 1927 he saw many Ostrich at 16° 30’ N (Newbold & Shaw 1928). Again, in 1932, Ostrich were seen (Bagnold 1933) as far north as 16° 30’ N at between 24° E and 25° E and were present in large numbers in herds of 40-80 just south of this area: many unattended clutches of 6-10 eggs were passed and one nest containing 94 eggs was found. In southern Darfur the bird was reported (Madden 1934) as a common resident throughout and chicks were seen in February. The evidence suggests (as travel in the early days was confined to the dry, cool weather) that the breeding season of the Ostrich throughout Darfur was in the early part of the winter, eggs being laid from October onwards. In East Africa the breeding season is throughout the dry season (L. H. Brown) and it is possible that in Darfur, where the rains are from June to September, this is also the case. Some synchronisation. of breeding, such as occurs in East Africa (L. M. Hurxthal) can also be deduced, particularly from the large clutches recorded and from the size of the herds, which probably comprised mainly young birds of about one year old. PRESENT DISTRIBUTION AND NUMBERS Unfortunately none of the foregoing data are quantitative and it is not possible to estimate total numbers from them. It is likely, however, that the present area of distribution of the Ostrich in Darfur is not as widespread as previously, when they were common from as far south as 9° 30’ N to at least as far north as 16° 30’ N. Some Ostrich survive in northern Darfur, but apparently very few occur over large areas in the centre of the province, 125 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)] although two were seen on the Wadi el Ku in 1969 (A. Rendell). In southeast Darfur low-level aerial surveys of the stratified random sample type carried out during April and October of 1975 gave estimates of 1200-1500 birds, largely confined to an area of 5,000 km? of open savanna on sand, centred approximately on 10° N, 27° E. A similar aerial survey in April 1976 gave estimates of 450-500 Ostrich on about 10,000 km? of similar country centred on 12° 30’ N, 23° 45’ E, close to the international boundary of the Sudan with Tchad and the Central African Republic. These figures give densities of 0-24-0-30 and 0:04-0:05 Ostriches per km? for the respective areas. The densities are broadly comparable with the 0:08-0:77 for Ostrich in the dry season in northern Tanzania (Lamprey 1964) and the range of 0:06-0:54 for other semi-arid areas of Tanzania and Kenya (L. M. Hurxthal). It is unlikely that the total number of Ostrich in Darfur exceeds 4,000 birds at present, but that in the two principal areas in which they still occur the populations are fairly healthy. However, increasing pressure from human and domestic livestock populations will probably lead in the future to further reductions in range with a consequent reduction in total numbers. References: Bagnold, R. A. 1933. A further journey through the Libyan Desert, Geogr. J. 82: 103-130, 211-236. Browne, W. G. 1799. Travels in Africa, Egypt and Syria from the year 1792-1798. London. Lamprey, H. F. 1964. Estimation of the large mammal densities, biomass and energy exchange in the Tarangire Game Reserve. FE. A. Wildl. J. 2: 1-46. Madden, J. F. 1934. Notes on the birds of southern Darfur. Sudan Notes Rec. 17: 83-101. Maydon, H. C. 1923. North Kordofan to south Dongola. Geogr. J. 61 (1): 34-41. Nachtigal, G. 1879. Sahara and Sudan. IV Wadai and Darfur. (Translated [1971] from the German by A. G. D. Fisher and H. J. Fisher). University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles. Newbold, D. 1924. A Desert odyssey of a thousand miles. Sudan Notes Rec. 7: 43-101. Newbold, D. & Shaw, W. B. K. 1928. An exploration of the south Libyan desert. Sudan Notes Rec. 11: 103-194. Address: R. T. Wilson, 21 Westfield Grove, Wakefield, U.K. Comments on the Dusky Moorhen Gallinula tenebrosa by C. M. N. White Received 11 August 1976 Peters (1934: 203) listed three subspecies of Gallinula tenebrosa. He adopted the arrangement then current, for there had been no critical study of geo- graphical variation in the species, nor has there been subsequently. The following notes result from a study of the status of the species in Wallacea. Peters gave the range of nominate senebrosa Gould (1846) as Australia. This requires qualification for it is known only from eastern and southwest Australia (Macdonald 1973: map 44, Condon 1975: 105-106). G. ¢. frontata Wallace (1863) is known in Wallacea from Celebes, Buru, Ambon, Seram, Sumba, Flores and Timor. It is thus much more isolated from the nominate form than is implied by Peters’ distributions, for +. ¢enebrosa is absent from north Australia apart from north Queensland. The main character supposed to distinguish frontata from ¢enebrosa is the colour of the legs and feet, mostly [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)] 126 red in frontata, mostly green or greenish yellow in senebrosa. The discovery of frontata considerably antedated Gould’s description of senebrosa: Reinwardt collected it in 1821 in north Celebes, and Temminck at the Leiden Museum used a manuscript name Ga//inula haematopus for his specimens, thus empha- sising the red legs, but did not publish the name. Salvadori (1882: 279) cited Wallace as recording the legs red, green at the joints. Meyer & Wiglesworth (1898: 714) using frontata binomially, gave its English name as ““Red-legged Moor-hen’’, and quoted Guillemard for a bird from Celebes as “tarsus red, olive green at the joints’. Dr. G. F. Mees (én litt.) has informed me that Coomans de Ruiter noted of Celebes birds that the legs were vermilion with grey joints. Five birds from Buru in the American Museum of Natural History record on their labels “feet vermilion, joints olive green”: in one from Timor “feet red with a greenish tinge”. In con- trast Stresemann (1914: 55) described a bird from Seram as having the tarsus brownish yellow with unfeathered tibiotarsus red. He made no comment on this anomalous specimen. Recent literature on Australian birds (Serventy & Whittell 1967, Frith 1969, Slater 1971, Macdonald 1973) states that in Australia the legs of G. tenebrosa are green or greenish yellow, red on tibiotarsus. Most museum specimens with the colour of the legs recorded on their labels confirm this, but some birds do not conform to this description. Mees (én /i/t.) noted that birds seen near Canberra in August had “dirty orange” legs. Goodwin (in Hall 1974: 85) described a recent specimen from New South Wales as “legs yellow, grey at ankle (“knees”) and toe joints, and orange on tibia above ankle, and on front of tarsus”. When I recently examined this specimen, the front of the tarsus had dried to a reddish shade. A skin in AMNH from Albert Passage, South Australia is labelled as having the front of the tarsus orange. In the same museum one from Gosford, New South Wales, and another from Melbourne, Victoria describe on their labels the legs and feet as “‘red’’. In the first the legs have dried to orange, in the second to red. There is thus good evidence that Australian birds sometimes have the tarsus partly orange. If the two skins quoted above are accurately labelled, some have red legs. Whether these variations are seasonal or individual remains to be as- certained. Uncertainty over leg colour as a constant subspecific character is further raised by a population of this species apparently localised in the Hall Sound and Port Moresby area of south east New Guinea. Salvadori (1882) listed three collected in 1875 at Bioto and Naiabui, Hall Sound. D’Albertis had recorded the legs as red with greenish joints, and Salvadori accordingly identified them as frontata. He also noted that Ramsay had earlier reported a specimen from Laloki river as Zenebrosa, and queried that identification. None of the many collectors working in the southern lowlands of New Guinea since 1875 have found this species and Dr. R. Schodde (a /#+.) informs me that there are no specimens from New Guinea in the CSIRO collections. However Mackay (1970: 25) states that the species breeds in the Port Moresby area. This New Guinea population is geographically remote from frontata in Wallacea, but lives quite near to senebrosa in north Queensland. It is thus surprising if it is really referable to frontata as the recorded leg colour indicates. Further information about the legs of the Port Moresby birds should be recorded. 127 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)] The long accepted distinction between senebrosa and frontata based on the colour of the legs is evidently valid for most specimens but not wholly constant, and there are anomalies both in leg colour and distribution which require further investigation. Meyer & Wiglesworth (1898) also stated that frontata is darker below than /enebrosa. In the material which I have examined six frontata viewed in series appear a little more sooty grey ventrally than Australian birds, but most of the skins are old and may have undergone postmortem changes. I should hesitate to rely on this character to distin- guish frontata. | find some indication that the two forms differ slightly in size. Australian birds exhibit a marked sexual disparity in size. Five males have wings 214-223 mm, nine females 191-206 mm. On the other hand, in frontata from Celebes four females’ wings measure 187-201 mm, eight unsexed birds 188-206 mm. Unless the latter are all females, frontata shows no marked sexual disparity in size. One other record attributed to fronfata requires comment. Gyldenstolpe (1955: 211) recorded, with hesitation, four specimens from the Vogelkop, northwest New Guinea, as fronfata. He noted that they were very dark above without any olive dorsal tinge and that the legs were reddish yellow with grey-green joints. One of these skins is now in the Leiden Museum, and Dr. Mees states that it is blacker than specimens from Celebes and Moluccas, which are however older skins. It may be best to include the Vogelkop birds in G. +. meumanni Hartert (1930), described from Sentani Lake, north New Guinea, as a small form with blackish mantle lacking any olive brown suffusion. The leg colours of the Vogelkop birds agree with some recorded in neumanni. \ have not investigated the latter race in detail, but note that it is known from three isolated populations which differ clinally in size. From west to east wing measurements (mm) are :— Vogelkop: 299, 198, 201, 2 99, 180, 186; Sentani Lake: 8 unsexed, 170- 188; Middle Sepik: 1 g, 170, 19 161. Dr. Schodde (én /itt.) has commented that in Australia there have been reported sightings of /enebrosa with white fleckings on the flanks, and that this has prompted speculation that it may be conspecific with Gallinula chloropus. Mayr & Short (1970) list them as members of a species group. Both species were found breeding at the same locality in southeast Borneo by Grabowski last century. In southwest Celebes Wallace obtained both together at Makassar and Briutigam both at Bone, without information about breeding. The two are sympatric at these localities. In the Lesser Sundas the supposed sympatry is less clear. At Lombok ch/oropus is known but not tenebrosa. At Sumbawa, Elbert obtained only senebrosa and Rensch only chloropus, a juvenile, probably indicating breeding. Wallace obtained only tenebrosa at Flores last century but, more recently Paynter (1963) reported thence a series of ch/oropus including proof of breeding. It is thus possible that the two species are not completely sympatric in the Lesser Sundas and do not actually occur together at any locality. Since the dates when one or other species has been obtained in Sumbawa and Flores are separated by many years, the more recent being ch/oropus, the status of tenebrosa may have changed. Up to date information about supposed sympatry in the Lesser Sundas is needed. Acknowledgments: 1 am grateful to Dr. D. W. Snow and Mr. I. C. J. Galbraith for facilities to study material in the British Museum (Natural History), Tring; to Mrs. M. LeCroy for [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)] 128 very full data about material in the American Museum of Natural History, New York; and to Dr. G. F. Mees and Dr. R. Schodde for information and comment. References: Condon, H. T. 1975. Checklist of the Birds of Australia. Part 1, non-passerines. Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union. Frith, H. J. (Ed.) 1969. Birds in the Australian High Country. Sydney: A. H. & A. W. Reed. Gyldenstolpe, N. 1955. Birds collected by Dr. Sten Bergmann during his expedition to Dutch New Guinea 1948-1949. Arkiv Zool. 8: 183-397. Hall, B. P. (Ed.). 1974. Birds of the Harold Hall Australian expedition 1962-70. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). Macdonald, J. D. 1973. Birds of Australia. London: Witherby. Mackay, R. D. 1970. The Birds of Port Moresby and District. Melbourne: Nelson. Mayr, E. & Short, L. L. 1970. Species Taxa of North American Birds. Publ. Nuttall Orn. Club. No. 9. Meyer, A. B. & Wiglesworth, L. L. 1898. The birds of Celebes and the neighbouring islands. Berlin: Friedlander. Paynter, R. A. 1963. Birds from Flores, Lesser Sunda Islands. Breviora. No 182. Mus. Comp. Zool. Peters, J. L. 1934. Check-list of birds of the World. 2. Cambridge: Harvard Univ. Press. Salvadori, T. 1882. Ornithologia della Papuasia e delle Molucche. 3. Torino. Serventy, D. L. & Whittell, H. M. 1967. Birds of Western Australia. Perth: Lamb Publs. Slater, P. 1971. A Fieldguide to Australian birds. INon-passerines. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd. Stresemann, E. 1914. Die végel von Seran. Novit. zool. 21: 25-153. Address: 2 Belvedere Court, Kingsway, Ansdell, Lytham-St. Annes, Lancashire, England. Haematozoa of British birds. I.* Blood parasites of birds from Dumfries and Lincolnshire by M. A. Peirce & C. J. Mead Received 26 July 1976 Baker (1974) and Bennett e¢ a/. (1974), in reviewing the available data on the prevalence of blood parasites in British birds, showed that relatively few birds had been examined or parasites recorded. More recently Cheke e¢ a/. (1976) have published a list of the parasites obtained from a survey of birds in Hampshire and Yorkshire. To determine whether the low prevalence of haematozoa in British birds is a localised phenomenon or merely seasonal, birds have been examined in conjunction with the ringing programme of the ‘British Trust for Ornithology, primarily at Tring, Hertfordshire. This paper reports similar observations from Lincolnshire and from Dumfries, Scotland. All the birds examined (Table 1) were caught in mist-nets during routine trapping for ringing purposes either at Gibraltar Point, Lincolnshire (1-5 September 1975), or at two sites in Dumfries—Strathmilligan and Waterside _ Mains in the Penpont area of Thornhill (27 July-4 August 1975). 530 birds were examined, of which 386 individuals of 23 species were from Lincolnshire and 144 of 23 species from Dumfries. Thin smears were made from blood taken from the tibial vein, air dried, fixed in pure methanol and subsequently stained with Giemsa’s solution at a strength of 1:10 at pH 7-2 for one hour. Microscopical examination was carried out firstly under low power (X10) and then under a X90 oil im- mersion objective for a more detailed morphological study. *No. II in the series is appearing in J. Nat. Hist. 129 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)] TABLE 1 Blood parasites found in birds from Dumfries, Scotland, and Lincolnshire, England. Dumfries Lincolnshire INumver Number Examined|infected Examined|infected Species ) «ne OR Faw ye Pee Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula - - = = Ifo - - - = Wryneck Jynx torquilla - - - = jo - = = = Swallow Hirundo rustica cy oe pgal2—qsrre) af -xotcr* House Martin Delichon urbica Ey Say agit te aga Se ee ee Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea Ifo - - - = =— = - = Pied Wagtail M. a/ba tlo - = = = Re Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis = oy ore lo =— - - - Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Of Loni coe UBM e sos — - =. = Dunnock Prunella modularis Sgn cake ee SET TS eee eee Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus Ifo - - - = > he ini Reed Warbler A. scirpaceus - - - = 1jo - - - Barred Warbler Sy/via nisoria - - - - Qo.mwat - - Garden Warbler S. borin 2lo - - - - yar Ae Blackcap S. atricapilla 2zlo - - = = a. s S. - Whitethroat S. communis 2zlo - - - = 2zjo '- = - = — Lesser Whitethroat S. curruca - - - = jlo - = - = | Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus 1g ane hs ae ea SOLO r en Ss Dh er Goldcrest Regulus regulus (:) an hil - - = = Robin Erithacus rubecula 22/7 - 7 =- - —\- = "= Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca - - - - Ifo - - = = Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus - - - - fo - - = = Blackbird Turdus merula 3/0 = 6 > - ri, Seer Song Thrush T. philomelos /i- t - = - - = = Willow Tit Parus montanus Gia “= 48 n= a® 2lo - - - = Coal Tit P. ater A ee oe - - - = Blue Tit P. caeruleus papper Hg = ts Sifes Sa Se ae Great Tit P. major 8/4 —- 4* - = - - = Tree Creeper Certhia familiaris Ifo - - - = - - = = | Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus - - - = Iolo - - - = | Goldfinch Cardeulis carduelis - = = = 30/0 - - -— = Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs gpa iat) Bwiek = = | Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula Ppp senrait Sow" - - - = | Linnet Acanthis cannabina - - = = qJlo - - = = _ Redpoll A. flammea - = = = 22/0 - - -— = Starling Sturnus vulgaris jo - - = = 2zjo - - = = TOTAL $44fag Bi, 27 igs I 296/50. ig. 8 24. | ae H= Haemoproteus L=Leucocytozoon Hg=Haemogregarines T=Trypanosoma * Denotes a new British host record Results Of the 144 birds examined from Dumfries, 49 (34%) of 14 species were | found infected with one or more parasites. The most common genus of _ parasite found was Lewcocytozoon, which occurred in 55°% of the infected birds. The following parasites were identified :— Leucocytozoon. L. dubreuili in Song Thrusht (1), L. majoris in Great Tit (4), Blue Tit (7), Coal Tit (2) and Willow Tit (4), L. fringillinarum in | Willow Warbler and Robin (7). _ tFor scientific names see Table 1. [Bull,. B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)] 130 Hlaemoproteus. 1. orizivorae in Dunnock (1), Hi. fringillae in Dunnock (1) and Chaffinch (2), and probably H. chelidonis in the House Martins (see discussion). Haemogregarines. Lankesterella spp. were observed in Goldcrest (3), Wren (1) and Willow Warbler (1), the remainder being of the Hepatozoon type. Mixed infections were seen in only four birds :—a haemogregarine and L. majoris in Coal Tit (2), L. majoris and Trypanosoma sp. in Willow Tit, and H1. chelidonis and a haemogregarine in House Martin. From Gibraltar Point 50 (12-9 %) birds of 8 species were found to harbour one or more parasites, the most common being haemogregarines (46% of infected birds). Specific identification was possible for the following :— Haemogregarines. Most were of the Hepatozoon type, although Lankesterella sp. was identified in Swallow (2) and Willow Warbler (1). Leucocytozoon fringillinarum in Willow Warbler (5) and Swallow (3). Flaemoproteus. F1. orizivorae in Willow Warbler (2), Garden Warbler (2), Blackcap (1) and Dunnock (1), HZ. fringillae in Willow Warbler (2). Trypanosomes in the Swallows were all considered to be 77ypanosoma phedinae, and that in the Blue Tit, 7. everetzz. In addition to the records in Table 1, three birds, two Willow Warblers and one Whitethroat, were infected with a Rickettsia-like organism. Mixed infections were observed in only five birds; HZ. ortzivorae and Rickettsia in Willow Warbler, L. fringilinarum and Rickettsia in Willow Warbler, 7. phedinae and Haemoproteus sp. in Swallow, T. phedinae and L. fringillinarum in Swallow and Trypanosoma sp. and a haemogtegarine in Dunnock. Discussion The 34% infection rate in Dumfries was considerably higher than in Lincolnshire and also higher than the May peak found in Hampshire and Yorkshire, but comparable to that found in two areas in May and June in Berkshire and Sussex (Cheke e¢ a/. 1976). The infection rate at Gibraltar Point (12:9%%) was only slightly higher than that observed in 1972 (10%) when far fewer birds were examined (Bennett e¢ a/. 1974). The most prevalent parasites at Gibraltar Point were haemogregarines, and in Dumfries Leucocy- fozoon spp. One Robin from Dumfries showed a very light infection with L. fringi/- linarum, but when re-trapped eight days later had a very high parasitaemia. This suggests that the bird, which had fledged during that current breeding season, had been infected towards the end of July. The absence of L. majoris from the Paridae caught at Gibraltar Point, when by comparison it was common in Dumfries, and the fact that the only birds infected with Lewcocy- tozoon spp. were migrants, might suggest the absence of specific vectors in the Gibraltar Point area. The taxonomy of haemoproteids from the Hirundinidae is poorly under- stood. Coatney & Roudabush (1937) named H. prognei from one infected Purple Martin Progne subius from Nebraska. Their description and illustra- tions were excellent, particularly when compared with those of the two species described previously, H. chelidonis and H. hirundinis, and they con- cluded that H. prognei most closely resembled H. birundinis, with only minor differences. This could be expected from examining only one infected bird. Because our own material consisted of light infections, we were unable to 131 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)] identify conclusively the parasite in the Swallow as the same as that from the House Martins, and pending the availability of more material, we prefer to consider the parasite in the House Martins to be HZ. che/idonis, as originally described by Franchini (1922). Yakunin (1972) has recorded H. chelidonis from House Martin, Swallow and Sand Martin Aiparia riparia, in Kazakhstan, although from only one specimen of each, out of 28, 450 and 138 birds of each species respectively—a very low incidence. Future work will probably determine whether any synonomy exists between the haemoproteids of the Hirundinidae, but that those of Swallows and House Martins may be host specific is suggested by the results of a study of the hippoboscid Crataerina hirundinis. Sammers (1975) concluded that C. Airundinis was generally host- specific for House Martins. It is quite probably the vector of 1. chelidonis; so a similar situation might exist with the haemoproteids of Swallows and House Martins, as indeed it does with the Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus and the Rock Dove C. /ivia. In these, H. columbae and H. palumbis have morpho- logically similar erythrocytic stages, but are transmitted by different vectors and are host-specific (Baker 1967, 1975). The haemogregarines from Swallows and House Martins were morpho- logically indistinguishable from the Hepatozoon described from Cliff Swallows Petrochelidon pyrrhonota in California (Clark & Swinehart 1966), but we believe they probably represent a new species. The large number of Swallows examined was for a specific purpose. Peirce et al. (1976) described a new species of trypanosome 7. phedinae from the Malagasy Swallow Phedina borbonica in Mauritius which closely resembled one illustrated by Oosthuizen & Markus (1967) from European Swallows in South Africa, some of which carried British rings (Markus pers. comm.). We aimed therefore to determine whether the parasites were the same and were being transmitted in Britain. Of the 11 birds found infected, six were identified as having been reared in Britain during the current breeding season, and therefore had become infected here, and we were able to show that the parasites were morphologically indistinguishable from 7. phedinae. Whilst most birds are almost certainly infected in Britain, this does not preclude the possibility of reinfection or transmission to other birds on their wintering grounds in South Africa. One of the most interesting discoveries was that of a parasite resembling Trypanosoma everetti in a Blue Tit from Gibraltar Point. Hitherto, 7. everetti has been recorded only from a few birds from mainland Africa and the Comoro Islands (Peirce & Cheke 1976). This present record suggests that the parasite has a far wider geographical distribution although probably depen- dent upon being brought to Britain by one of the trans-Saharan migrants. This being so, there must still be a vector here, capable of transmitting the parasite to other species. The results generally show that there is a wider variety of blood parasites in British birds than data from previous work would suggest. However, the incidence would appear to be dependent on the local availability of appro- priate vectors, rather than a strict seasonal occurrence of patency. Summary A survey of blood parasites in birds was carried out in Lincolnshire, England, and in Dumfries, Scotland. 530 birds were examined of which 99 were found to be infected with one or more parasites. The following parasites were identified; Haemoproteus orizivorae, H. fringillae, H1. chelidonis, Leucocytozoon majoris, L. dubreuili, L. fringillinarum, Trypanosoma [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)] 132 phedinae, T. everetti, Rickettsia and haemogregarines. Leucocytozoon ssp. were mote prevalent in Damfries, and haemogregarines in Lincolnshire. The results are discussed in relation to both geographical and seasonal occurrences, together with the taxonomic implications to some of the parasites observed. References: Baker, J. R. 1967. A review of the role played by the Hippoboscidae (Diptera) as vectors of endoparasites. /. Parasit. 53: 412-418. — 1974. Protozoan parasites of the blood of British wild birds and mammals. /. Zool. Lond. 172: 169-190. — 1975. Epizootiology of some haematozoic protozoa of English birds. J. nat. Hist. 9: 601-6o9. Bennett, G. F., Mead, C. J. & Barnett, S. F. 1974. Blood parasites of birds handled for ringing in England and Wales. /bis 117: 232-235. Cheke, R. A., Hassall, M. & Peirce, M. A. 1976. Blood parasites of British birds and notes on their seasonal occurrence at two rural sites in England. J. Wildl. Dis. 12: 133-138. Clarke, G. W. & Swinehart, B. 1966. Blood parasitism in Cliff Swallows from the Sacra- mento Valley. J. Protozool. 13: 395-397. Coatney, G. R. & Roudabush, R. L. 1937. Some blood parasites from Nebraska birds. Am. Midl. Nat. 18: 1005-1030. Franchini, G. 1922. Haemoproteus chelidonis chez Vhirondelle Chelidon urbica Linn. Stades probables de développment chez la puce Ceratophyllus hirundinis. Bull. Soc. Path. Exot. 15: 13-18. Oosthuizen, J. H. & Markus, M. B. 1967. Blood parasites of birds. Bokmakierie 19: 20-21. Peirce, M. A. & Cheke, A. S. 1977. Some blood parasites of birds from the Comoro Islands. J. Protozool. In press. Peirce, M. A., Cheke, A. S. & Cheke, R. A. 1977. Blood parasites of birds in the Mascarene Islands. /bis in press. Summers, R. W. 1975. On the ecology of Crataerina hirundinis (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) in Scotland. J. Zool. Lond. 175: 557-570. Yakunin, M. P. 1972. Blood parasites of wild birds of South-East Kazakhstan. Trudy Inst. Zool, Akad. Nauk Kazakh, SSR. 33: 69-79. (In Russian). Addresses: M. A. Peitce, 6 Barrie House, Hartland Road, Addlestone, Surrey KT15 1JT. C. J. Mead, British Trust for Ornithology, Tring, Herts HP23 5NR. The race of Sterna bergii in Kenya by P. L. Britton & T. O. Osborne Received 9 August 1976 According to White (1965) and Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1952) the race of the Swift Tern Sterna bergii occurring in Kenya is S. b. thalassina which breeds on the islands of the Western Indian Ocean, though Jackson (1938) listed Kenya birds as S. b. velox, which breeds in the Red Sea and northern Somalia. In view of the dark colouration of Kenya birds, and the fact that the few records available to them were from north of Mombasa, Britton & Brown (1974) considered it likely that Kenya birds were S. b. velox. On the other hand, recent breeding data from Latham Island, close to the Tanzania coast, no doubt refer to S. b. thalassina, as probably do all Tanzania records (Britton & Brown 1974). In three years residence on the Kenya coast, Britton & Britton (1976) have shown that S. bergéi is far commoner than previously supposed. It is regular near Malindi, especially at the mouth of the Sabaki River, though south of this area there are only three recent sightings, all of single birds. The most southerly record is from Nyali (4° 2’ S) but this species is only regular in any numbers south to the Sabaki River at 3° 9’ S. It occurs in all 133 [Bull. B.O.C. 1976: 96(4)] months of the year, but flocks of 20 or more (up to 180) are recorded only January—June. All birds seen by P.L.B. have the slate-grey mantle of JS. d. velox, which breeds in northern Somalia August-September (Mackworth- Praed & Grant 1952). On 29 April 1976 two S. bergii were collected from a typical flock at the mouth of the Sabaki River. With the assistance of the curator, T.O.O. has compared these specimens with material in the National Museum, Nairobi (Table 1). Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1952) give the wing-lengths of velox TABLE 1 Measurements (mm) and weights (g) of Sterna bergii Bill Locality Date Wing to Skull Sex Weight Plumage Sabaki, Kenya 29/4/76 360 65°2 -— 360 near breeding S 29/4/76 (330) 63°8 2 340 non-breeding S Bender Beila, Somalia 12/7/43 357 64°7 — — non-breeding S Khormaksar, Aden 19/7/20 372 67:2 3 — breeding S Remire Is., 21/9/67 351 §7°4 3 345 mnon-breeding P Amirantes 21/9/67 (332) (51°6) 3 325 breeding P 21/9/67 (333) 58°6 3 350 mnon-breeding P 21/9/67 330 §4°5 ) 350 sub-adult P Notes: S indicates mantle slate-grey, characteristic of S. b. velox. P indicates mantle very pale grey, characteristic of S. b. thalassina. Wing-lengths in brackets are of birds in almost completed moult, and the measure- ments refer to the second long primary. The bill of only 51-6 mm has a worn tip. as 337-377 mm and ¢ha/assina as 318-348 mm. In mantle colouration the Sabaki birds are indistinguishable from the Aden and Somalia birds, and all _ three fully moulted wings from these darker mantled birds fall within the range of velox and outside the range of tha/assina. One of the Amirantes, pale | mantled, birds has a long wing, outside the range given for tha/assina. Birds | with growing primaries can be recognised by the primary tips being silver- grey rather than black or blackish; on the other hand the Aden bird and _long-winged Amirantes bird have fresh, apparently complete primaries though with this same silver-grey tip, and may not have attained full growth. Bill measurements are perhaps more reliable in this small series. Mean bill- length for the four velox is 65-2 mm against 56-8 mm for the three reliable thalassina, a significant difference ( P .-...c ee ea ee eee 34-37 Oxson, Storrs L. and ANGLE, J. PHILLIP WW eights of Some: Puerto Rican Bids 2.254455. Ba oe eh eae IO5—107 OpeeaeC) Symposium on. Asian Birds (in ‘patt) i.) Saas) Va AE ee 33 PARKES, KENNETH C, An undescribed subspecies of the Red-legged Honeycreeper Cyanerpes cyaneus 65-68 PAYNE, ROBERT B. Juvenile plumages of Cuculus canorus and Cuculus gliris in Aftica 0 oa 48-53 Penry, E. H. Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus on Frigate Island, Seychelles ..... __...... 120-121 PRIGOGINE, A. The Orange Ground-thrush Turdus tanganjicae (Sassi) a valid species __...... 10-15 Rarrt, RAupH J. See Harpy REMSEN, J. V., Jr. A third locality in Colombia for the Dusky-chested Flycatcher Tyrannopsis VURCWDOUBT ES —— sitice ists RRO ST EEO 93-94 vii ScHoDDE, R. and Hotyoak, D. T. Application of Halcyon ruficollaris Holyoak and Alcyone ruficollaris Bankier Cee SERLE, WILLIAM The aberrant eggs of Turdoides plebejus in Nigeria and their relation to co- operative breeding and to victimisation by C/amator cuckoOsS oo, aes 39-41 SEVERINGHAUS, S. R. First record of the Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus from Taiwan __e..... 103-104 Snow, BarBaARA K. and GOcCHFELD, M. Field notes on the nests of the Green-fronted Lancebill Doryfera /udoviciae and the Blue-fronted Lancebill Doryfera johannae 0. oe ee tts 121-125 Snow, D. W. The display of the Scarlet-horned Manakin Pipra cornuta oo ae sts 23-27 STJERNSTEDT, R. See DowsEtt Stoppart, D. R. Roemuty Ot pelicans on St. Joseph Atoll, Amirantes 2.00 uu) ne ce 94-95 STRAUCH, JOSEPH G., Jr. Smee tad welonts trom Panama ee ee dee thn OP ee 61-65 Tarnor, 1. R: See MACDONALD, M. A. THIBAULT, J. C. See HoLyoAk TYLER, STEPHANIE An illustrated address on the avifauna of Ethiopia... este 105 Voous, K. H. Miatteter s Specimens of Sterna cantiacafrom Brazil... nak the 42-44 WaLkeER, C. A. The rediscovery of the Blofeld and the Wilkes Collections of sub-fossil birds Pk 5 A a CO See RR ean fa est ars FU wae 114-116 Watsu, J. FRANK Nesting of the Jabiru Stork Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis in West Africa 136 Warp, P. An illustrated address on Palaearctic migrants in Nigeria _..... Weers, 1. R. Muscicapa williamsoni Deignan;ateappraisal 2. eee Wuire, C. M.N. MiGtes on some non-passetine bitds of Wallacea) et ae 99-103 WILLIAMSON, KENNETH Blyth’s Pipit Anthus godlewskii in the Western Palaearctic _...... WINTERBOTTOM, J. M. See BENSON Woopcock, M. W. Syeposiuin on Asian birds (in patt) .. a) ae WorxLpD WILDLIFE FUND Co-operation invited on the protection of the Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita 72 WyYNNE-Epwarps, V. C. An address on social competition controlling population density in birds ..... 105 ZONFRILLO, B. Re-discovety of the Andean Condor Vultur gryphus in Venezuela _ ..... viii INDEX TO SCIENTIFIC NAMES (Compiled by C. W. Benson with the assistance of Mrs. C. W. Benson and Mrs. M. Hawksley) All generic and specific names (of birds only) are indexed. Subspecific names are included only if new and are also indexed in bold print under the generic and the specific names. abingoni, Campethera 97 abyssinicus, Dendropicos 59 — ‘Turtur 96 Accipiter fasciatus 100 Acrocephalus agricola 7 — baeticatus 7, 129 — dumetorum 7 acuta, Anas 59, 78, 107, 109 acutipennis, Chordeiles 62 adelaidae, Dendroica 106 adsimilis, Dicrurus 97 Aechmorhynchus cancellatus 22 aegyptius, Caprimulgus 53 aeneus, Molothrus 64, 80 afer, Euplectes 98 — Nilaus 97 — Turtur 96 africana, Verreauxia 118 africanus, Cassinaetus 118 — Gyps 125 — Pseudogyps 9 agami, Agamia 61 Agamia agami 61 Agapornis swinderniana 118 _— = taranta 59 Agelaius xanthomus 106 agricola, Acrocephalus 7 alba, Calidris 62, 79 — Gygis 115 — Motacilla 128 — Tyto 70-71 albescens, Synallaxis 63 albicapilla, Cossypha 97 albicollis, Saltator 65 albilinea, Tachycineta 64 albitorques, Columba 59 albobrunneus, Campylorhynchus 64 albus, Corvus 8 — Eudocimus 78 Alcedo azurea 32 — caerulescens 71 — cristata 96 — pulchra 32 — quadribrachys 96 — speciosa 7I alcinus, Macheiramphus 69 Alcyone ruficollaris 32 Alethe choloensis 128 — poliocephala 128 alfredi, Bradypterus 6 alleni, Porphyrio 96 altera, Corapipo 63 altiloquus, Vireo 106 altirostris, Turdoides 39 amandava, Estrilda 107 Amazilia edward 62 — tutila 80 — tzacatl 62 Amazona autumnalis 62 americana, Parula 106 Anas acuta 59, 78, 107, 109 — capensis 107 — clypeata 59, 107, 110-111 — crecca 59 — gibberifrons 71 — penelope 59 — querquedula 59, 107-108 — tubripes 112 — smithi 110-111 — sparsa 59 — undulata 59 ani, Crotophaga 62, 106 anneae, Euphonia 64 Anous minutus 55 — stolidus 54-55 — tenuirostris 54-55 antaios, Upupa 115 Anthoscopus flavifrons 131 Anthracothorax dominicus 105 — nigricollis 62 — viridis 106 Anthus campestris 60-61 — cervinus 59 — godlewskii 60-61 — novaeseelandiae 60-61 Apalis goslingi 130 — mnigriceps 129 — rufogularis 130 = ‘sharp i Loe 130 Aphriza virgata 62 Apus batesi 118 — pacificus 71 aquatica, Muscicapa 98 arcuata, Dendrocygna 99—100 argentatus, Larus 34 Arremon aurantiirostris 65 Arremonops conirostris 65 Artomyias fuliginosa 130 Asio otus 127 assimilis, Chlorostilbon 62 assimilis, Puffinus 115 — Turdus 64 astrictocarpus, Porzana 115 aterrimus, Phoeniculus 97 Atlantisia podarces 115 atratus, Coragyps 17 atriceps, Hypergerus 98 Attila spadiceus 63 Aulacorhynchus prasinus 63 aurantiifrons, Hylophilus 64 aurantiirostris, Arremon 65 aurantiiventris, Trogon 62 aureola, Pipra 24 auricapillus, Icterus 64 aurita, Sporophila 65 aurocapillus, Seiurus 106 australis, Treron 96 autumnalis, Amazona 62 axillaris, Coliuspasser 15-16 — Myrmotherula 63 azurea, Alcedo 32 azuteus, Ceyx 32 baeticatus, Acrocephalus 7, 129 barbarus, Laniarius 97 barbatus, Pycnonotus 96—97 Bartramia longicauda 62 Basileuterus delatrii 64 batesi, Apus 118 — Terpsiphone 130 Batis minima 130 — senegalensis 98 beecheii, Cyanocorax 30 bengala, Estrilda 99 bernsteinii, Ptilinopus 101 biarmicus, Falco 59 bicolor, Tiaris 107 bifax, Bulweria 115 blissetti, Diaphorophyia 130 — Platysteira 130 boehmi, Chaetura 46 — Neafrapus 46-47 — Sarothrura 125-126 borbonica, Phedina 87-88 borealis, Nuttallornis 63 Bostrychia carunculata 59, 104 bouvieri, Scotopelia 126 brachyptera, Cisticola 97 brachyura, Camaroptera 98 — Chaetura 62 — Sylvietta 98 Bradornis pallidus 98 Bradypterus alfredi 6 brazzae, Phedina 88 Brotogeris jugularis 62 brunneicapillum, Ornithion 64 brunnicephalus, Larus 34-35 Bubo 126 — sumatrana 127 buffonii, Chalybura 62 bulocki, Merops 96-97 Bulweria bifax 115 Butorides striatus 96 Bycanistes fistulator 118 cabanisi, Emberiza 98 Cacicus cela 64 — uropygialis 64 Cacomantis dumetorum Io1 — variolosus 101 caerulescens, Alcedo 71 — Dendroica 106 — Estrilda 98 — Muscicapa 129 Cairina scutulata 69 Calandrella cinerea 127 Calidris alba 62, 79 — canutus 78-79 — mauri62 — minuta 59 Callonetta leucophrys 112 camaronensis, Geokichla 1o — Turdus 129 Camaroptera brachyura 98 camelus, Struthio 77 Campephaga phoenicea 97 Campephilus 42 — melanoleucos 63 campestris, Anthus 60-61 Campethera abingoni 97 — punctuligera 97 Camptostoma obsoletum 64 Campylorhynchus albobrunneus 64 cancellatus, Aechmorhynchus 22 canivetii, Chlorostilbon 80 canorus, Cuculus 48—53 cantiaca, Sterna 42-43 canus, Larus 34, 36 canutus, Calidris 78-79 capensis, Anas 107 capistrata, Nesocharis 98 Caprimulgus aegyptius 53 — clarus 54 — climacurus 96 — europaeus 73 — fossil 74 — inornatus 53 — noctitherus 106 — nubicus 73 — pectoralis 37-39, 74 caprius, Chrysococcyx 96 Capsiempsis flaveola 64 carolina, Porzana 61 Carpodacus mexicanus 135 carunculata, Bostrychia 59, 104 carunculatus, Grus 59 caspia, Hydroprogne 34 — Sterna 79 Cassidix mexicanus 64 Cassinaetus africanus 118 chrysomelas, Chrysothlypis 65 cassini, Malimbus 119-120 Chrysothlypis chrysomelas 65 — Muscicapa 130 Ciconia episcopus 69 cassinii, Leptotila 62 — stormi 69 castanea, Dendroica 64 cinctus, Rhinoptilus 73 — Diaphorophyia 130 cinerascens, Fraseria 129-130 — Platysteira 130 cinerea, Calandrella 127 castaneicollis, Francolinus 59 cinereum, Todirostrum 64 castaneoventris, Lampornis 62 cinereus, Circaetus 45 Catoptrophorus semipalmatus 62, 79 cinnamomeus, Pachyramphus 63 cayana, Dacnis 64 Circaetus cinereus 45 cayanensis, Myiozetetes 63 Cisticola brachyptera 97 cayennensis, Columba 62 — erythrops 97 cela, Cacicus 64 — exilis 71 Celeus loricatus 63 — galactotes 97 Centropus monachus 6 — lateralis 97 Ceratopipra 23 — tufa 97 Cercococcyx mechowi 126 — tuficeps 97 — olivinus 126 citrea, Protonotaria 64 Cercomactra nigricans 63 Clamator 39 — tyrannina 63 — levaillantii 40, 96 Cercomela familiaris 97 Claravis pretiosa 62 — sordida 59 clarus, Caprimulgus 54 cetthia, Dendrocolaptes 63 climacurus, Caprimulgus 96 certhiola, Locustella 86 clypeata, Anas 59, 107, 110-111 cervinus, Anthus 59 Cnipodectes subbrunneus 63 Ceryle maxima 96 Cochlearius cochlearius 61 Ceyx azureus 32 cochlearius, Cochlearius 61 — picta 97 Coereba flaveola 106 Chaetura boehmi 46 Coliuspasser axillaris 15-16 — brachyura 62 collaris, Charadrius 62 chalybeata, Vidua 82, 98 collybita, Phylloscopus 8, 121 Chalybura buffonii 62 colombica, Thalurania 62 Charadrius collaris 62 Colonia colonus 63 — hiaticula 135 colonus, Colonia 63 — semipalmatus 62, 135 Columba albitorques 59 — wilsonia 62, 106 — cayennensis 62 chelicuti, Halcyon 97 — flavirostris 80 chinensis, Oriolus 102 — squamosa 106 chiriquensis, Elaenia 64 Columbina minuta 62 Chiroxiphia lanceolata 63 — passerina 106 — pareola 24 — talpacoti 62 Chlidonias leucopterus 7o comitata, Muscicapa 130 Chlorocichla flavicollis 5, 97 comitatus, Pedilorhynchus 130 chloromeros, Pipra 23, 26 communis, Sylvia 129 Chlorophanes spiza 64 concreta, Diaphorophyia 130 chloropus, Gallinula 62, 78 — Platysteira 130 Chlorostilbon assimilis 62 conirostris, Arremonops 65 — canivetii 80 ~ Contopus latirostris 106 — maugaeus 106 = sordidulus 63 choloensis, Alethe 128 — virens 63 Coragyps atratus 17 Corapipo altera 63 cornuta, Pipra 23-24, 26 Chordeiles acutipennis 62 — gaudlichii 80 7 . Milor Bo coronata, Pipra 63 chrysater, Icterus 64 cotvina, Corvinella 97 Chrysococcyx caprius 96 Corvinella corvina 97 — flavigularis 126 Corvus albus 8 — klaas 96 p — crfassirostris 59 chrysoconus, Pogoniulus 97 — monedula 76 Corvus ruficollis 8 — _ splendens 8 Cossypha albicapilla 97 — heinrichi 20-21 — niveicapilla 97 crassirostris, Corvus 59 — Larus 34 crecca, Anas 59 crinitus, Myiarchus 63 crispus, Pelecanus 94-95 cristata, Alcedo 96 — FPulica 59 cristatus, Lanius 86, 103 croceus, Macronyx 128 crossleyi, Geokichla 10 Crotophaga ani 62, 106 — major 62 — sulcirostris 106 Crypturellus soui 61 cucullata, Lonchura 99 cucullatus, Ploceus 89-92, 98 Cuculus canorus 48-53 — gularis 48-52 — tymbonomus Iot cuprea, Nectarinia 98 cyanea, Platysteira 98, 130 Cyanerpes cyaneus 64-68 Cyanerpes cyaneus holti, subsp. nov. 67 cyaneus, Cyanerpes 64-68 Cyanochen cyanopterus 59 Cyanocompsa cyanoides 65 Cyanocorax beechei 30 — melanocyanea 30 — sanblasiana 27-30 — yucatanica 30 cyanoides, Cyanocompsa 65 cyanopterus, Cyanochen 59 Cygnus olor 112 Cymbilaimus lineatus 63 Cyporhinus phaeocephalus 64 Cypsiurus parvus 48 Dacnis cayana 64 — venusta 64 dactylatra, Sula 56 Damophila julie 62 decumanus, Psarocolius 64 deiroleus, Falco 42 delatrii, Basileuterus 64 delawarensis, Larus 79 Dendrocincla fuliginosa 63 Dendrocolaptes certhia 63 Dendrocygna arcuata 99-100 — guttata 100 Dendroica adelaidae 106 — caetulescens 106 — castanea 64 — pensylvanica 64 — petechia 106 — tigrina 106 xi Dendropicos abyssinicus 59 dentata, Petronia 98 diadematus, Euplectes 15-16 Diaphorophyia blissetti 130 — castanea 130 — tonsa 130 Dicaeum trochileum 71 Dicrurus 131 — adsimilis 97 — leucophaeus 103 — ludwigii 97 Diglossa plumbea 64 dimidiatus, Ramphocelus 65 doliatus, Thamnophilus 63 dominicensis, Icterus 106 — Tyrannus 106 dominicus, Anthracothorax 106 dorsomaculatus, Ploceus 131 Doryfera johannae 121-124 — ludoviciae 121-124 Dryocopus lineatus 63 Dryoscopus gambensis 97 dubius, Lybius 97 dumetorum, Acrocephalus 7 — Cacomantis Io1 edolioides, Melaenornis 98 edward, Amazilia 62 Elaenia chiriquensis 64 — flavogaster 64 — frantzii 64 — martinica 106 elatus, Tyrannulus 64 Electron platyrhynchum 62 elegans, Sarothrura 125 Emberiza cabanisi 98 — forbesi 98 — tahapisi 98 eminentissima, Foudia 92 Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis 136 episcopus, Ciconia 69 — Thraupis 65 epulata, Muscicapa 130 eremita, Geronticus 72, 104 Eremomela pusilla 98 erythrocephala, Pipra 23-27 Erythrocercus mecallii 130 erythrops, Cisticola 97 — Quelea 98 erythroptera, Prinia 97 estella, Oreotrochilus 124 Estrilda amandava 107 — bengala 99 — caerulescens 98 — larvata 99 — melpoda 96, 98 Eucometis penicillata 65 Eudocimus albus 78 Euphonia anneae 64 — fulvicrissa 64 Euphonia gouldi 65 — laniirostris 64 — luteicapilla 64 — minuta 64 — musica 106 Euplectes afer 98 — diadematus 15-16 — hordeaceus 98 — macrourus 98 — ofix 16, 98 Eupodotis humilis 4 — senegalensis 4 europaeus, Caprimulgus 73 Eurostopodus macrotis 102 eutygnatha, Sterna 43 eutystomina, Pseudochelidon 127 Eurystomus glaucurus 88 exilis, Cisticola 71 exsul, Myrmeciza 63 Falco biarmicus 59 — deiroleus 42 — fasciinucha 44 — pelegrinoides 45 — peregrinus 45 — rufigularis 41 — sparverius 106 — subbuteo 41 familiaris, Cercomela 97 fasciatoventris, Thryothorus 64 fasciatus, Accipiter 100 — Myiophobus 63 fasciinucha, Falco 44 ferruginea, Tadorna 56-59 Ficedula hypoleuca 98 fistulator, Bycanistes 118 flammulatus, Megabyas 130 flava, Piranga 65 flaveola, Capsiempsis 64 — Coereba 106 flavicollis, Chlorocichla 5, 97 — Macronyx 59 flavifrons, Anthoscopus 131 — Poicephalus 59 flavigaster, Hyliota 98 flavigularis, Chrysococcyx 126 flavipes, Hylophilus 64 — Tringa 62 flavirostris, Columba 80 flavogaster, Elaenia 64 flavovirens, Phylloscartes 64 flavoviridis, Vireo 64 fluviatilis, Locustella 6 Fluvicola pica 63 forbesi, Emberiza 98 forficata, Muscivora 63 formosa, Megaloprepia 101 formosus, Ptilinopus 1o1 fossii, Caprimulgus 74 Foudia eminentissima 92 xii Foudia madagascariensis 92, 121 Francolinus castaneicollis 59 — psilolaemus 59 frantzii, Elaenia 64 Fraseria cinerascens 129-130 — ocreata 130-131 frontalis, Nonnula 63 Fulica cristata 59 fuliginosa, Artomyias 130 — Dendrocincla 63 fuligula, Hirundo 59 fulva, Hirundo 106 fulvicrissa, Euphonia 64 fulviventris, Myrmotherula 63 funereus, Oryzoborus 65 — Parus 119, 130 fuscatus, Margarops 106 fuscicauda, Habia 65 galactotes, Cisticola 97 Galerida malabarica 59 galinieri, Parophasma 59 Gallinula chloropus 62, 78 gambensis, Dryoscopus 97 gambieri, Halcyon 21-22 gaudlichii, Chordeiles 80 Gelochelidon nilotica 79 Geokichla camaronensis 10 — _ crossleyi 10 — gurneyi 10-11, 14 — oberlaenderi 10-11 — plaggiae 10-11 — prince Io — williamsi 11-14 Geothlypis trichas 106 Geottygon montana 106 Geronticus eremita 72, 104 gertrudae, Halcyon 21-22 — Todirhamphus 21-22 Gerygone sulphurea 84 gibberifrons, Anas 71 Glareola nordmanni 5 — ocularis 5 — pratincola 5 glareola, Tringa 59 glaucescens, Larus 35 Glaucidium perlatum 96 Glaucis hirsuta 62, 124, 133 glaucoides, Larus 35 glaucurus, Eurystomus 88 godlewskii, Anthus 60-61 goertae, Mesopicos 97 Goldmania violiceps 62 goslingi, Apalis 130 gouldi, Euphonia 65 Grafisia torquata 131 granadensis, Myiozetetes 93 griseigularis, Myioparus 130 griseus, Passer 98 grossus, Pitylus 65 xiii Grus carunculatus 59 hypoleucos, Tringa 59 gtyphus, Vultur 17-18 guatemalensis, Sclerurus 63 ichthyaetus, Larus 34 gularis, Cuculus 48—52 icterocephala, Tangara 65 — Paroaria 133-134 icteronotus, Ramphocelus 65 gurneyi, Geokichla 10-11, 14 Icterus auricapillus 64 guttata, Dendrocygna 100 — chrysater 64 guttatus, Xiphorhynchus 63 — dominicensis 106 guy, Phaethornis 62 — icterus 106 Gygis alba 115 icterus, Icterus 106 Gymnocichla nudiceps 63 Indicator indicator 97 gymnogenys, Turdoides 39 — minor 97 Gymnopithys leucaspis 63 indicator, Indicator 97 Gymnostinops montezuma 64 indicus, Metopidius 69, 71 Gyps africanus 125 infuscata, Muscicapa 130 — rueppellii 9 inornata, Tangara 65 gyrola, Tangara 65 inornatus, Caprimulgus 53 inquisitor, Tityra 63 Habia fuscicauda 65 Haematoderus militaris 76 Jacana jacana 62 haematodus, Trichoglossus 102 jacana, Jacana 62 Halcyon chelicuti 97 Jubula lettii 126 — gambieri 21-22 — gertrudae 21-22 klaas, Chrysococcyx 96 — leucocephala 97 — malimbica 97 lachrymosus, Xiphorhynchus 63 — mangaia 32 Lagonosticta rara 99 — reichenbachi 21 — rhodopareia 81-82 — tuficollaris 32 — rufopicta 99 — sancta 32 — senegala 82, 99 — senegalensis 97 Lalage nigra 84 heinrichi, Cossypha 20-21 Lampornis castaneoventris 62 Heliodoxa jacula 62 Lamprotornis mevesii 47 Heliomaster longirostris 62 lanceolata, Chiroxiphia 63 Henicorhina leucophrys 64 Laniarius barbarus 97 — leucosticta 64 laniirostris, Euphonia 64 heuglini, Ploceus 98 Laniocera rufescens 63 hiaticula, Charadrius 135 Lanius cristatus 86, 103 Himantopus himantopus 70-71 Larus argentatus 34 himantopus, Himantopus 70-71 — brunnicephalus 34-35 hirsuta, Glaucis 62, 124, 133 — canus 34, 36 hirundineus, Merops 97 — crassirostris 34 Hirundo fuligula 59 — delawarensis 79 — fulva 106 — glaucescens 35 — rustica 80, 127 — glaucoides 35 hirundo, Sterna 62 — hyperboreus 34-35 holti, Cyanerpes 67-68 — ichthyaetus 34 hordeaceus, Euplectes 98 — ridibundus 34 humilis, Eupodotis 4 — saundersi 34, 36 Hydranassa tricolor 61 — schistisagus 34 Hydroprogne caspia 34 larvata, Estrilda 99 Hyliota flavigaster 98 — Tangara 65 — violacea 119, 130 lateralis, Cisticola 97 Hylophilus aurantiifrons 64 latimeri, Vireo 106 — flavipes 64 latirostris, Contopus 106 Hylophylax naevioides 63 — Muscicapa 83-87 hyperboreus, Larus 34-35 Legatus leucophaius 63 Hypergerus atriceps 98 Leptotila cassinii 62 hypogrammica, Pytilia 98 lettii, Jubula 126 hypoleuca, Ficedula 98 — Lophostrix 126 leucaspis, Gymnopithys 63 leucocephala, Halcyon 97 leucogaster, Sula 56 leucomelas, Parus 98 leuconotus, Parus 59 leucophaeus, Dicrurus 103 leucophaius, Legatus 63 leucophrys, Callonetta 112 — Henicorhina 64 leucopterus, Chlidonias 70 leucosticta, Henicorhina 64 leucotis, Thryothorus 64 levaillantii, Clamator 40, 96 lherminieri, Puffinus 115 lictor, Pitangus 63 lineatus, Cymbilaimus 63 — Dryocopus 63 Locustella certhiola 86 — fluviatilis 6 — luscinioides 7 Lonchura cucullata 99 — punctulata 69 longicauda, Bartramia 62 — Trochocercus 98 longicaudus, Stercorarius 34, 36 longirostris, Heliomaster 62 — Rallus 106 Lophostrix lettii 126 loricatus, Celeus 63 Loriculus vernalis 71 Loxigilla portoricensis 107 luctuosus, Tachyphonus 65 ludoviciae, Doryfera 121-124 ludovicianus, Pheuticus 65 ludwigii, Dicrurus 97 lugens, Sarothrura 126 luscinioides, Locustella 7 luteicapilla, Euphonia 64 luteiventris, Tyrannopsis 93-94 luteolus, Ploceus 98 Lybius dubius 97 Macheiramphus alcinus 69 Macronyx croceus 128 — flavicollis 59 macrorhynchus, Notharchus 63 macrotis, Eurostopodus 102 macrouta, Vidua 98 — Zenaida 106 macrourus, Euplectes 98 maculatus, Myiodynastes 63 madagascariensis, Foudia 92, 121 magna, Sturnella 64 major, Crotophaga 62 — Taraba 63 malabarica, Galerida 59 Malaconotus sulfureopectus 97 Malacoptila panamensis 63 malimbica, Halcyon 97 Malimbus cassini 119-120 xiv Malimbus rubriceps 98 — tubricollis 119 — scutatus 119-120 Manacus vitellinus 63 mangaia, Halcyon 32 Margarops fuscatus 106 marginatus, Microcerculus 64 marttinica, Elaenia 106 maugaeus, Chlorostilbon 106 mauri, Calidris 62 maxima, Ceryle 96 — Sterna 79 maximus, Saltator 65 mecallii, Erythrocercus 130 mcleannani, Phaenostictus 63 mechowi, Cercococcyx 126 Megabyas flammulatus 130 Megaloprepia formosa 101 Megarhynchus pitangua 63 Melaenornis edolioides 98 Melanerpes portoricensis 106 — pucherani 63 — pygmaeus 80 — tubricapillus 63 melanocephalus, Vanellus 59 melanocyanea, Cyanocorax 30 melanoleucos, Campephilus 63 melanops, Myadestes 64 melanopygia, Telacanthura 118 melanospila, Ptilinopus 70 melpoda, Estrilda 96, 98 mentalis, Pipra 23, 26-27, 63 — Sphenoeacus 97 Merops bulocki 96-97 — hirundineus 97 — pusillus 97 Mesopicos goertae 97 Metopidius indicus 69, 71 mevesii, Lamprotornis 47 mexicanum, Tigtisoma 61 mexicanus, Carpodacus 135 — Cassidix 64 — Todus 106 Micrastur semitorquatus 61 Microcerculus marginatus 64 militaris, Haematoderus 76 Mimus polyglottos 106 minima, Batis 130 minor, Chordeiles 80 — Indicator 97 minuta, Calidris 59 — Columbina 62 — Euphonia 64 — Piaya 62 — Sporophila 65 — Tchagra 97 minutus, Anous 55 — Xenops 63 Mionectes olivaceus 64 Mniotilta varia 64, 106 XV Molothrus aeneus 64, 80 nigriceps, Serinus 59 momota, Momotus 62 nigricollis, Anthracothorax 62 Momotus momota 62 — Ploceus 98 monacha, Oriolus 59 — Sporophila 65 monachus, Centropus 6 nigromitratus, Trochocercus 119, 130 Monasa morphoeus 63 Nilaus afer 97 monedula, Corvus 76 nilotica, Gelochelidon 79 montana, Geotrygon 106 niveicapilla, Cossypha 97 montezuma, Gymnostinops 64 noctitherus, Caprimulgus 106 Monticola solitarius 18—19 Nonnula frontalis 63 morphoeus, Monasa 63 nordmanni, Glareola 5 Motacilla alba 128 Notafrapus sheppardi 47 mozambicus, Serinus 96, 98 Notharchus macrorhynchus 63 Muscicapa aquatica 98 — pectoralis 63 — caerulescens 129 novaeseelandiae, Anthus 60-61 — cassini 130 nubicus, Caprimulgus 73 — comitata 130 nudiceps, Gymnocichla 63 — epulata 130 nudipes, Otus 106 — infuscata 130 Numenius phaeopus 62 — latirostris 83-87 Nuttallornis borealis 63 — olivascens 130 — williamsoni 83-86 oberlaenderi, Geokichla 10-11 Muscivora forficata 63 obscura, Psalidoprocne 97 musculus, Troglodytes 64 obsoletum, Camptostoma 64 musica, Euphonia 106 ocreata, Fraseria 130-131 Myadestes melanops 64 ocularis, Glareola 5 Myiarchus crinitus 63 oleaginea, Pipromorpha 64 — panamensis 63 olivacea, Tiaris 65, 106 — stolidus 106 olivaceus, Mionectes 64 — tuberculifer 63 — Picumnus 63 Myiobus sulphureipygius 63 — Rhynchocyclus 64 Myiodynastes maculatus 63 olivascens, Muscicapa 130 Myiopatus griseigularis 130 olivinus, Cercococcyx 126 — plumbeus 98, 130 olor, Cygnus 112 Myiophobus fasciatus 63 onocrotalus, Pelecanus 95 Myiozetetes 94 Onychognathus tenuirostris 59 — cayanensis 63 Oporornis tolmiei 64 — granadensis 93 oreas, Picathartes 129 — similis 93 Oreotrochilus estella 124 Myrmeciza exsul 63 Oriolus chinensis 102 Myrmotherula axillaris 63 — monacha 59 — fulviventris 63 orix, Euplectes 16, 98 | ornatus, Trichoglossus 102 naevia, Tapera 62 Ornithion brunneicapillum 64 naevioides, Hylophylax 63 Oryzoborus funereus 65 Neafrapus boehmi 46-47 Otus nudipes 106 Nectarinia cuprea 98 otus, Asio 127 — pulchella 98 — senegalensis 98 Pachyramphus cinnamomeus 63 — vetticalis 98 — polychopterus 63 Neochelidon tibialis 64 pacificus, Apus 71 Neophton percnopterus 77 pallidus, Bradornis 98 Nesochartis capistrata 98 palmarum, Thraupis 65 Nesospingus speculiferus 106 panamensis, Malacoptila 63 niger, Phalacrocorax 71 — Mryiarchus 63 — Quiscalus 106 pareola, Chiroxiphia 24 nigra, Lalage 84 Parmoptila rubrifrons 120 nigricans, Cercomacra 63 Paroaria gularis 133-134 nigricapillus, Thryothorus 64 Parophasma galinieri 59 nigticeps, Apalis 129 Parula americana 106 Xvi Parus funereus 119, 130 Piranga flava 65 — leucomelas 98 — fubra 65 — leuconotus 59 pitangua, Megarhynchus 63 parvus, Cypsiurus 48 Pitangus lictor 63 Passer griseus 98 — sulphuratus 63 Passerculus sandwichensis 80 Pitylus grossus 65 passerina, Columbina 106 platyrhynchum, Electron 62 pectoralis, Canrimulgus 37-39, 74 Platysteira blissetti 130 — Notharchus 63 — castanea 130 Pedilorhynchus comitatus 130 — cyanea 98, 130 Pelecanus crispus 94-95 — tonsa 130 — onocrotalus 95 plebejus, Turdoides 39-41, 97 — fufescens 95 Plocepassert superciliosus 98 pelegrinoides, Falco 45 Ploceus cucullatus 89-92, 98 peli, Scotopelia 126-127 — dorsomaculatus 131 pelios, Turdus 97 — heuglini 98 penelope, Anas 59 — luteolus 98 penicillata, Eucometis 65 — nigricollis 98 pensylvanica, Dendroica 64 — pfeussi 131 percnopterus, Neophron 77 — superciliosus 131 peregrinus, Falco 45 — tricolor 131 perlatum, Glaucidium 96 plumata, Prionops 97 petechia, Dendroica 106 plumbea, Diglossa 64 Petronia dentata 98 — Polioptila 64 Phaenostictus mcleannani 63 plumbeus, Myioparus 98, 130 phaeocephalus, Cyporhinus 64 — Turdus 106 phaeopus, Numenius 62 Pluvialis squatarola 62 Phaethornis guy 62 podarces, Atlantisia 106 — superciliosus 62 Podiceps ruficollis 59 Phalacrocorax niger 71 Pogoniulus chrysoconus 97 — sulcirostris 71 Poicephalus flavifrons 59 Phedina borbonica 87-88 poliocephala, Alethe 128 — brazzae 88 Polioptila plumbea 64 Pheucticus ludovicianus 65 polychopterus, Pachyramphus 63 phoenicea, Campephaga 97 polyglottos, Mimus 106 phoenicoptera, Pytilia 98 pomarinus, Stercorarius 34 Phoeniculus aterrimus 97 Porphyrio alleni 96 — purpureus 97 portoricensis, Loxigilla 107 Pholidornis rushiae 120, 131 — Melanerpes 106 Phylloscartes flavovirens 64 Porzana astrictocarpus 115 Phylloscopus collybita 8, 121 — carolina 61 — sibilatrix 7, 121 ptasinus, Aulacorhynchus 63 — trochilus 97, 120-121 pratincola, Glareola 5 piaggiae, Geokichla 10-11 pretiosa, Claravis 62 — Turdus 11-14 preussi, Ploceus 131 — Zoothera 11 princei, Geokichla 10 Piaya minuta 62 — Turdus 129 pica, Fluvicola 63 _ Prinia erythroptera 97 Picathartes oreas 129 — subflava 97 Picoides temminckii 102 Prionops plumata 97 picta, Ceyx 97 Prosobonia 22 Picumnus olivaceus 63 Protonotaria citrea 64 Pipra aureola 24 Psalidoprocne obscura 97 — chloromeros 23, 26 Psarocolius decumanus 64 — corfnuta 23-24, 26 Pseudochelidon eurystomina 127 — coronata 63 Pseudogyps africanus 9 — etythrocephala 23-27 psilolaemus, Francolinus 59 — mentalis 23, 26-27, 63 Pterodroma rupinarum 115 — tubrocapilla 23, 26-27 Ptilinopus bernsteinii 101 Pipromorpha oleaginea 64 — formosus 101 Ptilinopus melanospila 70 pucherani, Melanerpes 63 Puffinus assimilis 115 — lherminieri 115 pulchella, Nectarinia 98 pulchra, Alceco 32 — Sarothrura 125-126 punctatus, Thamnophilus 63 punctulata, Lonchura 69 punctuligera, Campethera 97 purpurascens, Vidua 81-82 purpurata, Querula 63 purpureus, Phoeniculus 97 pusilla, Eremomela 98 pusillus, Merops 97 Pycnonotus barbatus 96-97 pygmaeus, Melanerpes 80 Pyrocephalus rubinus 41 Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax 59 pyrrhocorax, Pyrrhocorax 59 Pytilia hypogrammica 98 — phoenicoptera 98 quadribrachys, Alcedo 96 Quelea erythrops 98 querquedula, Anas 59, 107—108 Querula purpurata 63 Quiscalus niger 106 Rallus longirostris 106 — rougetii 59 Ramphocaenus rufiventris ¢4 Ramphocelus dimidiatus 65 — icteronotus 65 rara, Lagonosticta 99 reichenbachi, Halcyon 21 reinwardii, Turdoides 97 Rhinoptilus cinctus 73 Rhodinocichla rosea 65 thodopareia, Lagonosticta 81-82 Rhynchocyclus olivaceus 64 ridibundus, Larus 34 rosea, Rhodinocichla 65 rougetii, Rallus 59 rubinus, Pyrocephalus 41 rubra, Piranga 65 rubricapillus, Melanerpes 63 rubriceps, Malimbus 98 rubricollis, Malimbus 119 rubrifrons, Parmoptila 120 rubripes, Anas 112 rubrocapilla, Pipra 23, 26-27 rueppellii, Gyps 9 rufa, Cisticola 97 — Sarothrura 125-126 rufalbus, Thryothorus 64 rufescens, Laniocera 63 — Pelecanus 95 ruficeps, Cisticola 97 ruficollaris, Alcyone 32 xvii ruficollaris, Halcyon 32 ruficollis, Corvus 8 — Podiceps 59 rufigularis, Falco 41 rufiventer, Terpsiphone 130 rufiventris, Ramphocaenus 64 rufocinerea, Terpsiphone 130 rufogularis, Apalis 130 rufopicta, Lagonosticta 99 rufus, Tachyphonus 65 — Trogon 62 rupinarum, Pterodroma 115 rushiae, Pholidornis 120, 131 rustica, Hirundo 80, 127 ruticilla, Setophaga 106 rutila, Amazilia 80 rutilus, Thryothorus 64 Saltator albicollis 65 — maximus 65 sanblasiana, Cyanocorax 27-30 sancta, Halcyon 32 sandvicensis, Sterna 42-44, 79 — Thalasseus 62 sandwichensis, Passerculus 80 Sarothrura boehmi 125-126 — elegans 125 — lugens 126 — pulchra 125-126 — rufa 125-126 saundersi, Larus 34, 36 Saurothera vieilloti 106 Schiffornis turdinus 63 schistisagus, Larus 34 scintilla, Selasphorus 62 Sclerurus guatemalensis 63 Scotopelia bouvieri 126 — peli 126-127 scutatus, Malimbus 119-120 scutulata, Cairina 69 Seiurus aurocapillus 106 Selasphorus scintilla 62 semipalmatus, Catoptrophorus 62, 79 — Charadrius 62, 135 semitorquatus, Micrastur 61 senegala, Lagonosticta 82, 99 — Tchagra 97 senegalensis, Batis 98 — Ephippiorhynchus 136 — Eupodotis 4 — Halcyon 97 — Nectarinia 98 — Streptopelia 96 — Zosterops 98 Serinus mozambicus 96, 98 — mnigriceps 59 Setophaga ruticilla 106 sharpii, Apalis 119, 130 sheppardi, Notafrapus 47 sibilator, Sirystes 63 sibilatrix, Phylloscopus 7, 121 similis, Myiozetetes 93 Sirystes sibilator 63 smithi, Anas 110-111 solitarius, Monticola 18-19 sordidulus, Contopus 63 soui, Crypturellus 61 spadiceus, Attila 63 spatsa, Anas 59 sparverius, Falco 106 speciosa, Alcedo 71 speculiferus, Nesospingus 106 Sphenoeacus mentalis 97 Spindalis 105 — zena 106 spiza, Chlorophanes 64 Spizaetus tyrannus 78 splendens, Corvus 8 Sporophila aurita 65 — minuta 65 — nigricollis 65 squamiceps, Turdoides 41 squamosa, Columba 106 squatarola, Pluvialis 62 Stercoratius longicaudus 34, 36 — pomatinus 34 Sterna 78 — cantiaca 42-43 — caspia 79 — eurygnatha 43 — hirundo 62 — maxima 79 — sandvicensis 42-44, 79 stolidus, Anous 54-55 — Mryiarchus 106 stormi, Ciconia 69 Streptopelia senegalensis 96 striatus, Butorides 96 Struthio camelus 77 Sturnella magna 64 Sturnus vulgaris 128 subbrunneus, Cnipodectes 63 subbuteo, Falco 41 subflava, Prinia 97 Sula dactylatra 56 — leucogaster 56 — sula 55 sula, Sula 55 sulcirostris, Crotophaga 62 — Phalacrocotax 71 sulfureopectus, Malaconotus 97 sulphuratus, Pitanzus 63 sulphurea, Gerygone 84 sulphureipygius, Myiobius 63 sulphurescens, Tolmomyias 64 sumatrana, Bubo 127 superciliosus, Phaethornis 62 — Plocepasser 98 —— ' Ploceus 131 swinderniana, Agapornis 118 XVili Sylvia communis 129 Sylvietta brachyura 98 Synallaxis albescens 63 Tachycineta albilinea 64 Tachyphonus luctuosus 65 — rufus 65 Tadorna ferruginea 56-59 — tadorna 112 tadorna, Tadorna 112 tahapisi, Emberiza 98 talpacoti, Columbina 62 tanganjicae, Turdus 10-14 Tangara gyrola 65 — icterocephala 65 — inornata 65 — larvata 65 Tapera naevia 62 Taraba major 63 taranta, Agapornis 59 Tchagra minuta 97 — senegala 97 Telacanthura melanopygia 118 — ussheri 46-48, 135 temminckii, Picoides 102 tenuitostris, Anous 54-55 — Onychognathus 59 Terpsiphone batesi 130 — rufiventer 130 — rufocinerea 130 — vitidis 98, 130 Thalasseus sandvicensis 62 Thalurania colombica 62 Thamnophilus doliatus 63 — punctatus 63 Thraupis episcopus 65 — palmarum 65 Thryothorus fasciatoventris 64 — leucotis 64 — nigricapillus 64 — tufalbus 64 — futilus 64 Tiaris bicolor 107 — olivacea 65, 106 tibialis, Neochelidon 64 tigrina, Dendroica 106 Tigrisoma mexicanum 61 Tityra inquisitor 63 Todirhamphus gertrudae 21-22 Toditrostrum cinereum 64 Todus mexicanus 106 tolmiei, Oporornis 64 Tolmomyias sulphurescens 64 tonsa, Diaphorophyia 130 torquata, Grafisia 131 Treron australis 96 — waalia 96 trichas, Geothlypis 106 Trichoglossus haematodus 102 — ofnatus 102 tricolor, Hydranassa 61 — Ploceus 131 Tringa flavipes 62 — glareola 59 — hypoleucos 59 trochileum, Dicaeum 71 trochilus, Phylloscopus 97, 120-121 Trochocercus longicauda 98 — nigromitratus 119, 130 Troglodytes musculus 64 Trogon aurantiiventris 62 — rufus 62 tuberculifer, Myiarchus 63 turdinus, Schiffornis 63 Turdoides altirostris 39 — gymnogenys 39 — plebejus 39-41, 97 — reinwardii 97 — squamiceps 41 Turdus assimilis 64 — camaronensis 129 — pelios 97 — piaggiae 11-14 — plumbeus 106 — pfincei 129 — tanganjicae 10-14 — williamsi 11-14 Turtur abyssinicus 96 — afer 96 tymbonomus, Cuculus ror tyrannina, Cercomacra 63 Tyrannopsis luteiventris 93 Tyrannulus elatus 64 Tyrannus dominicensis 106 tyrannus, Spizaetus 78 Tyto alba 70-71 tzacatl, Amazilia 62 undulata, Anas 59 Upupa antaios 115 uropygialis, Cacicus 64 ussheri, Telacanthura 46-48, 135 Vanellus melanocephalus 59 varia, Mniotilta 106 variolosus, Cacomantis 101 venusta, Dacnis 64 vernalis, Loriculus 71 Verreauxia africana 118 verticalis, Nectarinia 98 Vidua chalybeata 82, 98 — macroura 98 — purpurascens 81-82 vieilloti, Saurothera 106 violacea, Hyliota 119, 130 violiceps, Goldmania 62 virens, Contopus 63 Vireo altiloquus 106 — flavoviridis 64 — latimeri 106 virgata, Aphriza 62 viridis, Anthracothorax 106 — Terpsiphone 98, 130 vitellinus, Manacus 63 vulgaris, Sturnus 128 Vultur gryphus 17-18 waalia, Treron 96 wagleri, Zarhynchus 64 williamsi, Geokichla 11-14 — Turdus 11-14 williamsoni, Muscicapa 83—86 wilsonia, Charadrius 62, 106 Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus 64 xanthocephalus, Xanthocephalus 64 xanthomus, Agelaius 106 Xenops minutus 63 Xiphorhynchus guttatus 63 — lachrymosus 63 yucatanica, Cyanocorax 30 Zarhynchus wagleri 64 zena, Spindalis 106 Zenaida macroura 106 Zoothera piaggiae 11 Zosterops senegalensis 98 Corrigenda p. 5, lines 1, 31: ‘GJareola’, not ‘Clareola’ p. 5, line 38: ‘Malindi’, not ‘Inalindi’ p. 9, lines 13, 17: ‘rueppellii’, not ‘ruppellii’ or ‘ruppellii” p. 10, line 49: “camaronensis’, not “cameronensis’ p. 15, line 51: ‘Coliuspasser’, not “Colliuspasser’ p33, linevan:*C. F. Mann’; not “y./F. Mann’ p. 59, line 37: “cyanoptera’, not “cyonoptera’ p. 64, line 30: ‘rufwentris’, not ‘rufriventris’ p. 71, line 30: ‘Dicaeum’, not ‘Dicaem’ p. 81, line 44: “Lagonosticta’, not ‘Tagonosticta’ p. 88, line 4o: ‘ Burystomus’, not ‘ Eurystomas’ p. 93, line 21: “Zyrannopsis’, not ‘Tyrrannopsis’ p. 97, line 20: ‘tndicator’, not “indictaor’ p. 97, line 51: ‘Sphenoeacus’, not ‘Sphenoaeacus’ p. 98, line 17: ‘Trochocercus’, not ‘Trochocerus’ p. 98, line 45: ‘afer’, not “afra’ p. 98, line 47: ‘hordeaceus’, not ‘hordeacea’ p. 109, line 25: “Anas acuta’, not ‘anas Acuta’ . 119, line 18: ‘sharpii’, not ‘sharpei’ Pp. 119 ) The Caxton & Holmesdale Press, Sevenoaks NN EEEEEoEEEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeeeEeEeEeEeEeEeEeEe—e—e—EeEeeeeee ISSN 0007 - 1595 Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club fc 2) : i. ey Edited by Dr. J. F. MONK Volume 97 No. 1 March 1977 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The Annual General Meeting of the Club will be held in the Senior Common Room, South Side, Imperial College, Prince’s Gardens, London, S.W.7 at 5.45 p.m. on Tuesday, 3 May, 1977. AGENDA 1. Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting. 2. Report of the Committee and Accounts for 1976. 3. The Bulletin. 4. Election of Officers. The Committee proposes that :— (a) Mr. P. Hogg be elected Chairman vice Professor J. H. Elgood, who tfetires on completion of his term of office and is ineligible for re-election. (b) Dr. G. Beven be elected Vice-Chairman vice Mr. P. Hogg, who retires on completion of his term of office and is ineligible for re-election. (c) Mr. M. St.J. Sugg be re-elected Hon. Treasurer. (d) Mr. R. E. F. Peal be re-elected Hon. Secretary. (e) Mr. C. F. Mann be elected a member of the Committee vice Dr. C. J. O. Harrison, who retires by rotation. (£) Mr. B. Gray be elected a member of the Committee in the event of Dr. G. Beven being elected Vice-Chairman. 5. Any other business of which notice shall have been given in accordance with Rule (7). By Order of the Committee, RONALD E. F. PEAL. Honorary Secretary. FORTHCOMING MEETINGS Tuesday, 3 May 1977 at 6.15 p.m. for 6.45 p.m. at the Senior Common Room, South Side Imperial College, South Kensington (entrance in Prince’s Gardens, S.W.7, off Exhibition Road). A symposium on Asiatic Birds, at which the speakers will include Lord Medway on Migrants in Malaysia, Mr. M. W. Woodcock on the Indian Avifauna and Mr. I. C. Orr on Ornithology in China. Those wishing to attend must send a cheque for £3°45 per person to the Hon. Secretary with their acceptance on the enclosed slip. Tuesday, 19 July 1977 at 6.30 p.m. for 7 p.m. at the Goat Tavern, 3 Stafford Street, London, W.1, Mr. Stanley Cramp on the Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (The Birds of the Western Palaearctic), Vol. 1 of which is due for publication in June 1977. COMMITTEE J. H. Elgood (Chairman) P. Hogg (Vice-Chairman) R. E. F. Peal (Hon. Secretary) M. St.J. Sugg (Hon. Treasurer) Dr. J. F. Monk ( Editor) - Mts. J. D. Bradley De; C.J. ©. Harrison C. E. Wheeler Dr. G. Beven [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(1)] Bulletin of the oh amirisoH ORNITHOLOGISTS CLUB Vol. 97 No. 1 Published: 18 March 1977 REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE FOR 1976 — In 1976 inflation continued at a headlong rate. This has hit the Club directly through much higher costs and indirectly through its dire effect on home Members. It is therefore encouraging that 33 new Members joined in the year. Resignations numbered five and 11 Members were struck-off under Rule (4). At the end of the year there were 274 Members and 132 non- Member subscribers to the Bu//etin up-to-date with their subscriptions. Meetings were held in January, March and July at the Goat Tavern in Mayfair and in May, September and November in the Senior Common Room at Imperial College. We are fortunate as the meals at both venues are excellent value (prices for dinner at the Goat having been £2: 10—f{2-25 and at Imperial College £2-95;—£3-25), especially as our numbers are smaller than caterers may welcome. At 159, the total attendances at meetings were only very slightly down on the previous year and the May meeting, the Club’s seven hundredth, was a particular success with outstanding speakers for a symposium on aspects of African ornithology. The size of the Bulletin was reduced to 144 pages, but it is hoped to main- tain it at this size in 1977 despite a probable total increase in costs during the — year of over 15%. The waiting time for publication of papers remains at a _ satisfactory six months or less. The Bu//etin is a valuable reference work for museums and libraries; information would be welcome from Members about institutions, especially in other countries, which might become _ subscribers, since a larger circulation makes possible either a larger Bulletin or a lower subscription rate. In this connection, the rates of membership and _ Bulletin subscriptions have risen in the last 10 years by 133% and 150% - respectively; but against a harder currency (e.g. the Swiss Franc or the German _ Mark), Sterling at the end of 1976 was only 36% of its value ten years before, so _ for those who pay in such currencies subscription rates are lower than in 1966. _ The accounts for 1976 show an excess of income over expenditure, but this does not reflect the true situation as they include money from sources other than 1976 subscriptions, some of them outstanding from 1975. Also included are many gifts and donations from generous members. The Committee has tried to minimise the Club’s running costs, but the only way to establish a sound financial basis is by increasing income. All ‘members can assist by actively encouraging others to join and by covenanting their subscriptions if they have not already done so. * x * The Seven hundred and fourth Meeting of the Club was held at the Goat Tavern, 3 Stafford Street, London, W.1at 7p.m.on Tuesday, 18 January, 1977. Chairman: Professor J. H. Elgood; present 19 members and six guests. Dr. Peter Ward spoke on Palaearctic migrants in Nigeria. He dealt es- pecially with seasonal movements within tropical Africa of a number of species which breed only in the Palaearctic region. He showed slides illus- trating the extensive nature of these movements and there followed a wide- ranging and stimulating discussion. 97(1)] [Bull. B.O.C. 1977 Tr. V7$ §¢.SQz ze. 16.z0z v1. gi LL.vg9‘1 ol. SzS*zF re "* suoievu0og = Suzy, *, A]JPAO]D,, —! ALYAdOUG—SaSNAdX A SSa’T— INA Ee 8 1¢ Vzz Iv gI 9$z ee eT g6.gh Pa pun, isnt, PV. Sin “Sc ex yi °° pun, [etoue+s —!HWOONT LisOdaq, GNV LNAWISHANT 99-L1 : ; "+ TBUOTHSUPI I, §z.$g1 ; 9L61 pue $L61 —iINVN@AO) JO saaaqd YSQNN GayusAOOEY XVI, FNOONT ** syeaXh snoraosd 30j suzjayjug JO Soyes L2.LYo: “Ee - = "* — syaqiaasqns g$9 VG. Lies le 7 ye soTINOSsy puv siaquisyyy $388 : SNOILdIWOSaNg d.F F AWOONT oi CL61 ol. Sz6eF §z. voz 00.01 10.06 of .gz ob.ze 11-09 Gi,..OLO-s d.¥ d.¥ ? pun [vsauar 04 safsuva 5. ** vuonepordag soa{org asvIsOg PU dINIIPUsdx| snosuULTOOSIT sosuodxy JOUUIC, pUe 93NID0"T 9L61—99,J Npny x ‘E SBUIIOIJY FOF ‘939 “S9TTION os - Be OT jo vORHNAITsIq pue vuOoTeITTGng JO SO) SUN LIGNAdX Cle ay Ogz OL Lo Sz gt of oSL‘1 F ¢L61 9L61 ‘MAGWAOAC ISTE popus seo oy? JO} TNQOOOV AUNLIGNAdXY ANV AWOONI 97(1)] . . [Bull. B.O.C. 1977 “JUDJUHOIJfY pasafs Bay aa a zL.vvo‘zF 00.000‘I zL.VPr6'1 00-.O000‘I TESTS ———- zg. VSP o1.6g¢ 00.1 00.0 00-09 00-001 00.08 00.07 00.001 d.F di. F 88-fokF anv yoyseyy (FEF) "* yoorg Jem %FE SS.6661F INFWLSAANT GNOY Lsauy, (%01) puog [INuno7 yI9IsIGq Arnqsi{rs INAWLISHANT ONO TVYINAD yunosy usodaq— yUNOIDY 3UIIIND—ANVG LV HSV) 1s :, 3 suOLaaqd XOPU] IBNUIINS 94} JO YDOjs 34} JO} papnpsur ueseq sey onyeA ON NVA [LUIWION—wuyayug JO AIOLS uonenoidaq -ssa7 ISO’) VY NaquOS AGNV wOLodloUug Eg 7 onjer w4yIeW (987) 3 "+ garosoy :ssaT “a on P: és 3807) Ww ‘zg/og61 ‘uvoTy Arnsvary % Fg oo1F INFWLSSANT GNA IVYSNE ¥ o$ 08 2 $L61 zl. bb6zF 00.0001 zl. Pr6st Re it V Cr -Ori OS .ZoL't d.F LL61 “KaonsgaT 418 LHSYAWOS “AOA ‘AUOSaNaY ZL “UUMIIOYI DDULPIOIIE UT 9q 0} Woy} AjNI99 pue qnID 24} JO sps0dez puL syood sy} WOIJ yUNODDY sINypuedx| pu sWIODUT poxouUL pur Ja04g aduUL[eg DAOQe 94} poredosd savy [ Aadnsvad], “UOFT “DDNG ‘[ “LS ‘W uvmdivy ) “AOOD TY "HY ‘[ AovSery voysursseg {4 (enusAdY [eJIUDy ST WOIF DUIOIUI 9YI—Pposn oq jou Avut pun,j sty} jo jeadvs sy.) GNOY Isnuy, Sz-yoz pur So. gS S*1 dF . . SUOLIGAU) sJoquMIs|] WOIF SUOTVUOG GQNOY NILATING JuNODDY Wn Wpusdxy LOL LAS su Al N C re CT someds-qns pue sisdo1d snpan 7 3O (aur) syuauornsvoyy [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] 14 particular that the “olive” birds from Kahuzi and Itombwe have exactly the same high value for this ratio as other specimens of this species (see Table 1). On the other hand, w7//iamsi has a small tail/wing ratio varying from 70-0 to 78-2 percent with an average of 74-2 percent (Table 2). 6. I have not found specimens with intermediate characteristics. In view of the clear morphological differences and the distribution (Fig. 1), it appears best to regard williamsi and piaggiae as specifically distinct. There remains, however, a problem of nomenclature. When he published the description of wé/liamsi, Macdonald (1949) overlooked the fact that a similar bird had been described in 1914 by Sassi as Geokichla gurneyi tanganjicae. Thanks to the extreme kindness of Dr. H. Schifter I was able to examine the type of sanganjicae. It is indeed a juvenile “rufous headed” bird. In consequence, Turdus williamsi (Macdonald) is a synonym of Turdus tanganjicae (Sassi) and the new species must take this name. Thus, two species of orange ground-thrush inhabit some of the mountain ranges along the Albertine Rift: Turdus piaggiae, a widespread species, distributed from Ethiopia to Tan- zania, but found also on Lendu Plateau, Ruwenzori, Kahuzi and Itombwe; Turdus tanganjicae, a more localized species, recorded from the Impenetrable Forest, the Virunga Volcanoes, the Nyungwe Forest and the Kahuzi Range south to Mt. Kabobo. The two species live in proximity, but are altitudinally separated in the Kahuzi and Itombwe ranges. Their altitudinal distribution is characterized as follows (Prigogine 1975) :— I. piaggiae I. tanganjicae Number of specimens 7 9 Mean altitude 2390 m 1865 m Normal altitudinal limits 2100-2760 m 1660-1980 m Altitudinal limits 2090-2760 m 1530-2040 m On the other hand, Macdonald’s type of wé/iamsi (=tanganjicae) was ° collected at 2900 m, an exceptionally high altitude for this species. The first specimen known from the Virunga Volcanoes was secured at Burambi, also at the unusually high altitude of 2325 m. Thus, where 7. praggiae seems to be absent, as on the Virunga, 7”. sanganjicae ascends to higher altitudes. Likewise, only 7. praggiae has been recorded from the Ruwenzori Range where it has been collected principally between 1800 and 2700 m. A young male was obtained even at 1700 m, at Burusi (Prigogine 1965). Thus, on Ruwenzori where T. tanganjicae is not present, T. pzaggiae comes down to lower levels than on the Itombwe and Kahuzi Mts. The altitudinal separation in these ranges may thus indicate competition and mutual exclusion of two species of very similar measurements, presum- ably due to food and other ecological requirements. As T. piaggiae and T. tanganjicae seem confined to different altitudes on the two mountain ranges where they are sympatric and are allopatric elsewhere, they can be considered as members of a superspecies. Acknowledgements: I like to express my gratitude for the loan of material to Chr. Erard, J. Farrand, I. C. J. Galbraith, A. Goepel, G. Mauersberger, J. R. Northern, H. Schifter, D. W. Snow, M. A. Traylor and H. E. Wolters. I am particularly indebted to J. Farrand and M. P. S. Irwin who sent detailed descriptions of specimens in the collections of the American Museum of Natural History and the National Museum of Rhodesia respectively. P. Devillers kindly commented on my manuscript. 15 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(1)] References: Bannerman, D. A. 1936. The Birds of Tropical West Africa. Vol. TV. London: The Crown Agents for the Colonies. promi P. 1953. The birds of the Belgian Congo. Part 3. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 75A: 1-786. Deignan, H. G., Paynter, R. A. & Ripley, S. D. 1964. Turdinae in Peters’ Check-list of Birds of the World, Vol. X. Cambridge: Museum of Comparative Zoology. Friedmann, H. & Williams, J. G. 1968. Notable records of rare or little-known birds from western Uganda. Rev. Zool. Bot. afr. 77: 11-36. Jackson, J. J. 1906. Ona collection of birds made by Geoffrey Archer during a journey to the Ruwenzori Range. [bis 6: 505-570. Keith, S. & Twomey, A. 1968. New distributional records of some East African birds. [bis 110: §37-548. Keith, S., Twomey, A., Friedmann, H. & Williams, J. G. 1969. The avifauna of the Impenetrable Forest. Amer. Mus. Nov. 2389: 1-41. Kunkel, I. & Kunkel, P. 1969. Contribution a la connaissance de l’avifaune de la foret du Rugege (Rwanda). Rev. Zool. Bot. afr. 74: 327-351. Macdonald, J. D., 1949. A new race of Orange Thrush from Uganda. Bu//. Brit. Orn. Cl. 69: 16. Mackworth-Praed, C. W. & Grant, C. H. B. 1937. Systematic notes on East African birds. Part XVI. 37. On the Orange Thrushes of eastern Africa. /bis 1 (ser. 14): 874-877. Ogilvie-Grant, W. R. 1910. Aves in Ruwenzori expedition reports. 16. Trans. Zool. Soc. London 19(4): 253-481. Prigogine, A. 1960. La faune ornithologique du massif du mont Kabobo. Amn. Mus. roy. Congo, 8°, Sc. zool. 85: 1-46. — 1965. Notes sur quelques Geokich/a de la République du Congo. Rev. Zool. Bot. afr. 71: 230-244. — 1971. Les oiseaux de l’Itombwe et de son hinterland. Aun. Mus. roy. Afr. Centr., 8°, Sc. zool. 185: 1-298. — 1975. Contribution a l'étude de la distribution verticale des oiseaux orophiles. Gerfaut 64: 75-88. Prigogine, A. & Vande weghe, J. P. In prep. L’avifaune de la foret de Nyungwe. Sassi, M. 1914. Einige neue Formen der innerafrikanischen Ornis aus der Kollektion Grauetr. Anz. k. Akad. Wiss. Wien 51: 308-312. Schouteden, H. 1938. Oiseaux in Exploration du Parc National Albert. Mission G. F. de Witte (7933-1935). Bruxelles: Institut des Parcs Nationaux du Congo belge. — 1954. De Vogels van Belgisch Congo en van Ruanda-Urundi. VI. Passeriformes (1). Aan. Mus. roy. Congo. belge. C. Zool. Série IV. Vol. 1, fasc. 1: 1-226. — 1966. La faune ornithologique du Burundi. Doc. zool. Mus. roy. Afr. Cenir. 11: 1-81. — 1969. La faune ornithologique du Kivu. II. Passereaux. Doc. zool. Mus. roy. Afr. Centr. 15: 1-188. Sclater, W. L. 1930. Systema avium Aethiopicarum. 11. London: Taylor and Francis. van Someren, V. G. L. & van Someren, G. R. C. 1949. The birds of Bwamba. Uganda Journ. 13, spec. suppl.: 1-111. Verheyen, R., 1947. Liste d’une collection d’oiseaux rares réunie a Albertville. Bu//. Mus. roy. Hist. nat. Belg. 24 (9): 1-4. White, C. M. N. 1962. A Revised Check-list of African shrikes, orioles, etc. Lusaka: Govern- ment Printer. Address: Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, Rue Vautier 31, B-1040 Bruxelles, Belgium. Euplectes diadematus and Colliuspasser axillaris breeding in Somalia by Larry C. Holcomb Received 13 August 1976 Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1955) could give no breeding records of Euplectes diadematus except one in breeding condition in April in Kenya. Williams (1962) and Van Someren (1971) have since reported definite breeding in Kenya. Williams stated that the species has a restricted distribution [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(1)] 16 that includes eastern districts of Somalia, but gave no evidence for breeding in Somalia, although R. G. Allan has suggested to me that this species has probably nested near Mogadiscio. During and following the long rains of 1975, I found EF. diadematus nesting in Somalia, 10 km south of Afgoye, in and around the periphery of an irrigated rice scheme. Two displaying males were collected on 21 July, when at least 30 other males were seen, but no females. At 0830 on 12 August I found a nest with one egg, 24 cm above the ground in a tight tangle of grass in a fallow field. The female remained nearby. At 0915 on 16 August, the same nest held three eggs with dimensions between the ranges of 13-0 xX 17:7 mm. The nest and eggs were collected. On 8 September 1975, in a 100 m stretch of ground lying along an irri- gation ditch between two rice fields I found seven Explectes orix nests and two Euplectes diadematus nests. The E. orix nests were 30 to 150 cmabove the ground, firmly woven and built in large annual plants and small bushes. In contrast the diadematus nests were not more than 30 cm above the ground built into the top of the mat of dense vegetation. The or7x nests contained eggs or nestlings. One nest of dadematus contained three eggs and the other contained five eggs and two nestlings which were 7-8 days old. I cannot account for the mixture of eggs and nestlings in the same nest and since these eggs were not opened, the time of laying was not determined. Seven eggs would be quite exceptional for one female of FE. diadematus. There is a possibility that this was a nest in which more than one female laid eggs. The C/3 eggs weighed 1-5 g, dimensions between the ranges of 12-8 X 18-1 mm. The two diadematus nests were about 50 m apart, one of them within 3m of two ortx nests. These details of clutch size, eggs, egg size and nests agree with Williams (1962) and Van Someren (1971), but whereas in southern Somalia E. diadematus breeds at least in August and September, breeding in Kenya occurs in January and May. I agree with Van Someren (1971) that diadematus appears to be monoga- mous; but he also reported competition between diadematus and orix for herbaceous plants to use as nest sites or territorial posts for males, whereas the difference in the niche which I observed for diadematus nests (ie. at the top of a grass mat) and those of orix (higher above the ground and in annual plants and small bushes) suggests that if there is adequate suitable habitat these two species may co-exist without competition. The crop and stomach of 14 male and 5 female LE. diadematus collected between 26 July and 24 September contained only small grass seeds (perhaps Echinochloa). Although orix was frequently observed feeding on rice there was no evidence of diadematus doing so. | In the same area I also found Colliuspasser axillaris (probably C. a. phoent- ceus) breeding during and following the long rains of 1975. There was one territorial male every 0- 5-1-5 hectares throughout six 36-ha fields of irri- gated rice. Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1955) give no breeding or distri- bution records for Somalia. My first sight of the species was in mid-July. One male was collected in full breeding condition on 21 July and one nest with three eggs and supported by rice stems was found on 15 August. Another nest, also supported by rice stems, was found on 8 October containing three nestlings, nearly ready to fledge. 17 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(1)] All six males and two females collected 1 August-8 October had been eating rice from the cultivated fields. Six of these individuals were eating small grass seeds and insects in addition to the rice. To my knowledge no one has reported nesting in grain fields. The des- cription of Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1955) was of nesting in grass tufts over water, not significantly different from conditions in which I found them except that in cultivated fields the irrigation water would be present only periodically, and the nests were not grouped. These observations were made whilst I was engaged in work for the Food and Agricul- ture Organization of the United Nations, RAF 73/055 “Research into Control of Grain- eating Birds’ and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Somali Democratic Republic. I thank R. G. Allan and J. J. Jackson for comments on this paper. References: Mackworth-Praed, C. W. & Grant, C. H. B. 1955. African Handbook of Birds. Series 1, Vol. 2. London: Longmans. van Someren, G. R. C. 1971. Euplectes diadematus Fischer and Reichenow; Courtship, nests and eggs. Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 91: 119-121. Williams, J. G. 1962. An addition to our knowledge of Euplectes diadematus. Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 82: 172-173. Address: UNDP-FAO, Box 24, Mogadiscio, Somalia. Re- discovery of the Andean Condor Vultur gryphus in Venezuela by B. Zonfrillo Received 23 September 1976 Phelps & Phelps (1958) summarise the published records of Andean Condor Vultur gryphus in Venezuela as “‘... known in the country by two specimens in the British Museum, from the cordillera de los Andes near Merida, the most recent collected around the yeat 1912, according to Swann 1921 ” De Schauensee (1971) re-iterates this information and, more recently, Alden (1975) recommends excluding the species as occurring in Venezuela. On 7 July 1976, on the road from Merida to Jaji, near the waterfall at La Chorrera (30 km from Merida), R. A. Jeffrey, G. T. White, E. M. & R. W. Forrester and myself sighted a condor flying along the mist-enshrouded cliffs above the waterfall. Later, on a wooded cliff face, about 3 km nearer Jaji, we saw two Andean Condors ona broad, recessed cliff ledge where they had just landed. Both birds were adult, one a male. For a while the wings were spread in typical vulture pose, showing the large silvery-grey patches on the upper wing surfaces. The head wattle of the male was visible when viewed with a 55 x telescope. When soaring, the white neck ruff was the most distinctive feature, even at considerable distance. In the air, the big birds appeared very manoeuverable, dangling the talons when banking prior to landing. After taking off, one Condor showed considerable aggression towards a Black Vulture Corag yps atratus, which it dwarfed completely. The birds were photographed in the air and at rest, at ranges down to 200 m. After soaring around for some time both Condors flew out of sight. It is not known if the 1912 birds were breeding. The birds at La Chorrera appeared to be on a ledge suitable for breeding but no signs of nesting were [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(1)] 18 visible. The nearest known breeding localities of V. gryphus are the Santa Marta Mts. and Andes of Colombia, where the species is described as “‘rare and local’. These Condors are probably recent newcomers to this area of Venezuela, as it seems unlikely that such large birds would remain unseen for any length of time, particularly so near to a well-used road. My thanks are due to Dr. Chris Parrish of Caracas for his help with research and translation. References: Alden, P. 1975. A Checklist of the Birds of V enezuela—with amendments. Printed privately. Phelps, W. H. & Phelps, W. H. Jnr., 1958. Lista de Las Aves de Venezuela con su distri- bucion. Bol. Soc. Venezolana Cienc. Naturales 11, Part 1 (Non Passeriformes). de Schauensee, R. Meyer 1971. The Birds of South America. Oliver & Boyd. Swann, H. K. 1921. Notes on a collection of Accipitres from the Merida District, west Venezuela. Auk. 38: 357-364. Address: 28 Brodie Road, Glasgow, G21 3SB, Scotland. The Blue Rock Thrush of East Asia, Monticola solitarius philippensis (Muller), in the Moluccas by Eberhard Jany Received 11 October 1976 The subspecies of the Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius breeding in eastern Asia from Japan and Ussuriland (Soviet Union) to N. China and Taiwan is M. s. philippensis (Miller). The northern populations migrate and winter from Thailand in the north eastward to the Palau Islands (i.e. Koror, c. 134° 35’ BK), and in the south, as far as we know, to the islands between Banda Sea and Arafura Sea (to ¢. 132° E). The Moluccas, situated directly south of the main breeding area of northeast Asia between Japan and Manchuria, are in the middle of the southern island groups and seem to be favoured winter quarters of the Blue Rock Thrush—which is one of the 24 northern species wintering there (Mayr 1953)—and which provide a pro- fusion of coastal habitats, shores and banks, the species’ known ecological preference in Japan (Jahn 1942, Austin & Kuroda 1953). Dutch zoologists in particular have visited the Moluccas at different times. References to the Blue Rock Thrush by van Bemmel (1948) concern Hal- mahera, Ternate, Tidore, and Sulabesi in the North Moluccas, and in the South Moluccas Buru, Ambelau, Amboina, and Kur in the Watubela group, to which can now be added Pulau Tapa, between Batjan and Obi. G. A. L. de Haan visited the North Moluccas in 1952 and 1953, and A. M. R. Wegner in 1953 (see Jany 1954, 1955), when the avifauna was hardly known. When I received the collection made by De Haan, skin no. 1927 was wrongly labelled as a cuckoo-shrike (Campephagidae), and I now find it is a juvenile male Blue Rock Thrush, shot in the Kampong Tapa on Pulau Tapa on 9 Nov 1953 (Fig. 1). It weighed 53 g, wing 121 mm, the iris was dark brown, bill and legs black. The plumage colour corresponded more or less with that of the juvenile male in plate 16 in Kobayashi (1956), though the chestnut underparts are much more limited. The Pulau Tapa bird was not nearly so dark as the adult male illustrated in King e¢ a/. (1975: plate 51). 19 (Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(1)] The body feathers are new, those of wing and tail badly worn. This stage of moult in November resembles more or less that of birds in October from Buru (Siebers 1930) and in February from North Clelebes (Stresemann 1941). We can assume therefore that the body feathers are moulted before or during the winter, but that wing and tail feathers are moulted later, on the breeding grounds. The wing lengths of male birds from Buru and Pulau Tapa vary between 121 and 125 mm. These measurements fall within the range given by Vaurie a : Fig. 1, Juvenile § Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius philippensis from Pulau Tapa (north of Obi, Molluccas), 9 Nov. 1953, leg. G. A. L. De Haan. (1955) from Manchuria to the Philippines (116-128 mm), with no visible cline, and from Japan (115-129 mm) published by Kobayashi (1956). Though Vaurie demonstrates this with detailed measurements he also states (1959: 358) “In philippensis, the populations from the north have a longer wing, and a cline of decreasing size runs from north to south”. The Blue Rock Thrush arrives for the Moluccan winter in October and stays at least to the end of March. For Brunei, in N. Borneo (Kalimantan), Smythies (1960) gives 18 Oct to 19 Apr. In Japan the Blue Rock Thrush starts to sing in March (Jahn 1942) or April (Austin & Kuroda 1953), which [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(1)] 20 suggests that this species migrates north from the Moluccas to its breeding grounds in northeast Asia over a very short period, either directly north via the Philippines or more northeasterly via the west Pacific. References: Austin, O. L. & Kuroda, N. 1953. The Birds of Japan. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. Harv. Coll. (Cambr., Mass.) 109: 277-637. Bemmel, A. C. V. van. 1948. A faunal list of the birds of the Moluccan Islands. Treubia (Bogor) 19: 323-402. Jahn, H. 1942. Zur Okologie und Biologie der V6gel Japans. Journ. f. Orn. 90: 1-302. Jany, E. 1954. Nachricht tiber eine Sammelreise von A. M. R. Wegner nach den Inseln Batjan, Obi und Majau 1953. Journ. f. Orn. 95: 429. — 1955. Neue Vogel-Formen von den Nord-Molukken. Journ. f. Orn. 96: 102-106. King, B. F., Dickinson, E. C. & Woodcock, M. W. 1975. A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia. London: Collins. Kobayashi, K. 1956. Birds of Japan in Natural Colours. Osaka: Hoikusha. (Japanese). Mayr, E. 1953. On the origin of bird migration in the Pacific. Proc. 7th Pacific Sc. Congr. 4: 387-394. Siebers, H. C. 1930. Fauna Buruana, Aves. Treubia (Bogor) 7, Suppl.: 164-303. Smythies, B. E. 1960. The Birds of Borneo. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd. Stresemann, E. 1941. Die V6gel von Celebes (c). Die Zugvégel. Journ. f. Orn. 89: 69-102. Vaurie, C. 1955. Systematic notes on Palearctic birds, no. 14. Amer. Mus. Nov. 1731: 21-23. — 1959. The Birds of the Palearctic Fauna. Vol. 1, Passeriformes. London: Witherby. Address: Hohemarkweg 2, D-6231 Sulzbach/Taunus, W. Germany. Extension of Range of the White-headed Robin-chat Cossypha heinrichi by I. D. Harrison Received 16 September 1976 On 5 October ’75, in a small clump of thick woodland in a reserve of the Départment des Eaux et Forets named Bombo-Lumene, Zaire (4° 30’ S, 16° 8’ E.), five birds were seen which, from their behaviour and plumage were clearly of the genus Cossypha, but which could not be identified. One was therefore trapped and a full description taken. Six days later two birds were caught there and a single bird was seen the same day in similar habitat bordering a marsh ¢. 1 km from the original site. One of the birds caught was sent to the British Museum (Natural History) and proved to be Cossypha heinrichi, discovered in 1954 (Rand, 1955, Fve/diana 34, No. 31) in northern Angola and not previously recorded within 500 km to the south. The B.M. specimen was an adult male with testes measuring 5 mm and 4mm, wing 120, tail 147, bill 20, tarsus 37 mm. The eye was reddish-brown, the legs slate, the bill black and the plumage much brighter than that of other birds caught at the same time. The plumage of two other adults also agreed with Rand’s description except that the eye colour was sandy-brown. The eye colour differed in all three birds from that given by the Yale Peabody Museum (Bulletin No. 95. 14.2.1966), which describes it as “purplish-red in adults and blackish-brown in juvenile and sub-adult specimens”. This may be due to description after postmortem changes had occurred or might indicate geographical variation. The soft parts were the same colours in all three birds, but the primaries and secondaries of one of the two birds caught were badly abraded. Wings 118, 111, tails 132, 134, bills 21, 20, tarsi 36 mm. 21 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(1)] On 22 November ’75 five birds were seen in the original clump of wood- land, including a single juvenile not long out of the nest: the yellow gape was conspicuous and it was still being fed by two adults. The juvenile plumage agrees with the description given by Rand except that the head and neck were more rufous than ochraceous, as also was the breast. The scaled appearance was restricted to the head and upper breast. Two of the five birds were moulting out of juvenile plumage and had underparts similar to the juvenile, with only a faint scaled appearance, the head patched white and rufous. This was possibly first year plumage or even first year moulting into adult plumage. Subsequently four further sites were discovered in the area (up to 15 km away) and a bird, almost certainly of this species was glimpsed 550 km north- northeast near Mbandaka (on the equator, 18° 24’ E.). In all cases the habitat was the undergrowth of thick tropical forest (wot gallery forest) which occurred in isolated patches in savanna with scattered bushes and small fire- resistant trees. The largest of the sites was c. 14 km square and the smallest c. 100 m square. The species is known to be very elusive, either keeping to the ground or moving through thickets up to 3 or 4 m above ground. Food appeared to be small insects and a party of four birds was once seen feeding on ants on the branch of a tree. The stomach of the specimen sent to the British Museum contained “fragments of beetles and ants”’. There is thus a population of Cossypha heinrichi in western Zaire, extending its previously known range considerably; but further observations are necessary to establish if the range is restricted to between northern Angola and western Zaire or whether it extends considerably to the north and east of that area. Breeding occurs definitely about September to November, during the beginning of the rainy season. Address: “Hafan Deg”, Panteg Rd., Aberaeron, Dyfed, West Wales. Halcyon gambieri gambieri Oustalet, an extinct Kingfisher from Mangareva, South Pacific Ocean by D. T. Holyoak & J. C. Thibault Received 13 October 1976 Oustalet (1895) described a kingfisher collected at Mangareva, in the Tua- motu archipelago, in 1841 on the second Antarctic expedition of Dumont d’Urville as Halcyon gambieri. In the original description Oustalet commented on the similarity of this specimen to Halcyon reichenbachi of the Caroline Islands, 70° latitude west in Micronesia. Murphy (1924a) described a similar kingfisher from Niau, 780 miles north of Mangareva as Todirhamphus gertrude, in apparent ignorance of the bird described by Oustalet. Berlioz (1939), however, considered that from comparison of the type of Halcyon gambiert, which he examined at the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle (Paris), with Murphy’s description, 7. gertrudae should be regarded as a synonym of H. gambieri, and that H. gambieri differs from H. reichenbachi in the form of the bill. Peters (1945), also, mentions that 7. gertrudae may be a [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(1)) 22 synonym of 7. gambieri, and it has recently been suggested that it might be a Micronesian species (du Pont 1976). Re-examination of Oustalet’s H. gambieri type in the Paris Museum and comparison of a description, sketch and photographs of it with specimens of I. gertrudae in the American Museum of Natural History and the British Museum (Natural History) prompt a re-assessment of the status of these forms. As pointed out by Berlioz (1939), both forms have a broad bill with a wide tip, whereas in contrast, all Micronesian kingfishers without exception have very long bills with a laterally compressed tip. Comparative measute- ments of gambieri and gertrudae are very similar, but, suggest that the bill of the type of gambieri is a little shorter and wider than that of gertrudae and its tarsus and tail may be slightly longer (measurements in mm, averages in brackets): Flat Tail Culmen Culmen width Tarsus wing from nares at nares Type of FAL, gambieri 92°5 69°5 27°4 12°4 18 (worn) H. gertrudae 5 males 87-94 62-68 29-31 10°9Q-I1°7 16-17 (90) (66) (30) (715) (16) 3 females 90°5,°02 "5! 64, 66, 30, 4X} 11°5, 11°8, ~ 15,16, 90°5 65 28-5 10°5 16 The type of H. gambieri is apparently in adult plumage as it lacks the pale fringes to the wing-coverts that are present in immatures of other Polynesian kingfishers. It differs from adults of gertrudae in having the underparts white without any wash of cinnamon-buff, the hind-neck whiter with little rufous suffusion (this is probably not due to fading as the crown is as rufous as in gertrudae) and in having a distinct narrow black line across the nape, separating the rufous of the crown from the white of the hind-neck (cf. description in Murphy 1924a, plate accompanying Murphy 1924b). In view of these differences it seers best to name the Mangareva kingfisher Halcyon gambieri gambieri Oustalet, and the Niau kingfisher HY. gambieri gertrudae (Murphy). pre name Tuamotu Kingfisher seems appropriate for the species as a whole. There can be little doubt that the Mangareva kingfisher was extinct by 1922 when Ernest Quayle (MS.) searched extensively for landbirds on Mangareva without finding a kingfisher. He noted that considerable de- forestation had occurred and that cats, rats, goats and dogs were present on the island. Quayle wrote also that the sandpiper Aechmorhynchus (=Proso- bonia) cancellatus could not be found on Mangareva, but was common on some off-lying islets not cursed with the introduced predators. More recent visitors have also been unable to find a kingfisher on Mangareva (Thibault 1973, Lacan & Mougin 1974), so it is most likely extinct along with other little-known landbirds formerly found in the Bambier Islands (Holyoak & Thiabault, in prep.). However, the subspecies, 7. g. gertrudae, survives in considerable numbers at Niau, where the total population was estimated as 400-600 birds by J. C. Thibault in 1974. — =“ 23 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(1)] We are grateful to the departments of ornithology of the American Museum of Natural History, British Museum (Natural History) and Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle for facilities to examine specimens in their care, to James C. Greenway, Jr., for helpful com- ments, to Christian Erard for help while working in the Paris Collection and to Claud Rives for the courtesy of obtaining photographs on our behalf. References: Berlioz, J. 1939. Considérations sur les alcédinidés de la Polynésie orientale. C.R. 9th Int. Orn. Congr. Rouen: 87-91. : du Pont, J. 1976. South Pacific Birds. Greeneville, Delaware: Del. Mus. Nat. Hist. Lacan, F. & Mougin, J. L. 1974. Les oiseaux des iles Gambiers et de quelques atolls orientaux de l’archipel des Tuamotu (Océan Pacifique). Oiseau 44: 193-280. Murphy, R. C. 19244. Birds collected during the Whitney South Sea Expedition. III. Amer. Mus. Novit. 149: 1. — 1924b. The Whitney South Sea Expedition. Nat. Hist., New York 24: 539-553. Oustalet, E. 1895. Les mammiféres et les oiseaux des iles Mariannes. Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat., Paris 3rd. ser., 7: 182. Peters, J. L. 1945. Birds of the World. V. Cambridge, Mass.: Mus. Comp. Zool. Quayle, E. H. MS. Typescript copy of journal during the Whitney South Sea Expedition, 1920-1923, Lodged in Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., New York. Thibault, J. C. 1973. Notes ornithologiques Polynésiennes. I. Les iles Gambier. Alauda 41: I1I-119. Addresses: D. T. Holyoak, 58 Southdown Avenue, Brighton BN1 6EH, England. J. C. Thibault, 15 Rue Vaubentou, Paris, France. The display of the Scarlet-horned Manakin Pipra cornuta by D. W. Snow Received 13 October 1976 The Scarlet-horned Manakin Pipra cornuta is the only species of manakin confined to the highland area of southern Venezuela and adjacent Guyana and Brazil, the region for which Mayr & Phelps (1967) coined the name Pantepui, and in which they list four endemic bird species without known relatives, including P. cornuta. It used to be placed in a monotypic genus, Ceratopipra, on the basis of the pair of backwardly directed “horns” formed by the elongated feathers of the hind crown, but such modifications in the male’s display plumage are common in manakins and do not justify generic separa- tion. Recent authors generally place the species in Pipra. The male is black with a scarlet head and throat, white iris, and scarlet thigh feathers. The two “horns”, in life, project backwards and slightly upwards, diverging a little. The colour pattern is similar to that of four other species of Pipra which have ted or orange crowns (erythrocephala, rubrocapilla, chloromeros and mentalis), the main difference being that the red on the head is more extensive in P. cornuta. Females ate olive green, as is usual in the family. P. cornuta is a good deal larger than other Pipra species. The wing-length of adult males averages about 66-5 mm, and the weight (four specimens) 23-5 g. Equivalent figures for P. erythrocephala, the member of the red- and orange-crowned group with which P. cornuta is partly sympatric, are 56-7 mm and 12-8 g (Snow 1962). Pipra cornuta has long been thought to occur sporadically in lowland forest neat the Amazon as well as in the Guiana highlands, so that Mayr & Phelps (1967) qualified their statement that it is endemic to Pantepui; but almost certainly it does not extend into lowlands. Haffer (1970, footnote p. 308) [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(1)] 24 showed that the “Rio Marou”’, where Natterer collected the first specimens, was probably not near Manaus, as had been supposed, but in the upper Rio Branco area. The other record on which the supposed extension of the range into the lowlands was based is equally doubtful. Bates (1863) mentioned collecting it at Obidos; but there is no specimen extant, and his reference to three males apparently engaged in a kind of dance, close together on a low branch, makes it almost certain that what he collected was Chiroxiphia pareola, which occurs neat Obidos and displays in this way. As will be shown, the display of Pipra cornuta is quite different. In the course of a visit to the Gran Sabana of Venezuela (the highlands in the southeast of the State of Bolivar) in March and April 1976, I was able to observe the courtship display of Pipra cornuia in forest at an altitude of 950- 1050 m near the mission station of Kavanayén. At the time of my Visit it seemed not to be very numerous in the area; in four days of field-work I found two display grounds in forest below the mission station, and during a 5-day visit to the forest on the slopes of Ptari-tepui, 15-20 km from Kavanayén, at altitudes between 1100 and 1600 m, I heard only a single bird calling, although I was by then familiar with the sounds associated with the display. Below about 1100 m, both at Kavanayén and on Ptari-tepui, the Golden-headed Manakin P. erythrocephala also occurred, and in one place there were display grounds of both species within a few hundred metres of each other in the same kind of forest. The two display grounds of Pipra cornuta | found were both in primary forest, one on level ground and the other on a steep slope. At both places there were two adult males, the centres of whose display and calling areas were about 25 m (level forest) and 30 m (sloping forest) apart. With such a small sample it cannot, of course, be concluded that males normally display in groups of two; the small size of these two leks may simply have been a consequence of a locally low population density. The males’ general routine was much as in other Pipra species. I was unable to obtain accurate data on the percentage of time that the birds were present, but they were certainly present in their display areas for nearly all the time between ogoo and 1630 hrs, and I did not see them feeding at all while they were there. For most of the time they kept to an altitude of 10-15 m above the ground, not confining themselves to any particular perches, though some groups of perches were clearly preferred, but moving round a good deal in an atea about 20 m across. Intermittent calls were given, with a distinct tendency for a call by one bird to be answered by the other, and there were occasional outbursts of display which also tended to be synchronised. The displays, described below, were performed on slender horizontal perches at heights between 5 and 15 m. Occasionally the two males came together in a tree between their display areas, where they would spend up to 15 minutes perched in close proximity and quite silent. They would be restless, constantly moving from perch to perch, as if jockeying for position, always facing away from one another. Occasionally one would make a short backward “‘slide” along its perch towards the other. THE DISPLAYS The names given to the various elements of the displays are the same as those used for Pipra erythrocephala (Snow 1962) and P. aureola (Snow 1963). 25 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(1)] All bouts of displays that were seen appeared to begin spontaneously, i.e. without the presence of a female; but, as already mentioned, display by one male tended to stimulate the other to display. Bouts of display usually lasted for 1-5 minutes. It seemed probable that during the period of observations (7-16 Apr) the local females were not visiting the display grounds, at least during the middle of the day, though the breeding season should have begun. Vocal and mechanical sounds. As mentioned, males call intermittently when they are present in their display areas. Calls are one- to four-syllabled, abrupt, and either high-pitched or of a nasal quality, or a combination of both. The commonest is a trisyllabic wrrt-pit-arrk (Fig. 1, B), sometimes preceded by a p/t to produce a fourth syllable. Less frequently given is a sharp disyllabic ker-zeek, and a monosyllabic zeek similar to, but less loud than, the second syllable of the ker-zeek. Two sounds are associated with the KHz anrewen 2 SEC Figure 1. Sonagrams of (A) the mechanical wing-noise (prr¢) made during display, and (B) the trisyllabic wrrt-pit-arrk, The mechanical wing-noise consists of two very brief sounds, with energy evenly distributed over a wide frequency range, separated by an interval of about 0-015 sec (4 measured). displays and are described in context below: an explosive, mechanical wing- noise, and a sharp buzzing call. Backward slide. With its body orientated along or nearly along the perch, head held low, wings raised a little, tail slightly depressed, and legs stretched so that the red thigh feathers show, the bird takes rapid and very short steps backwards for about 15 cm along the perch, so that it seems to slide. At the end of the slide, two things may happen: (1) most often, the wings are sud- denly vibrated with extreme rapidity, producing an explosive prr¢ (Fig. 1, A) and the bird jumps forward about 15 cm as if propelled by the force of the “explosion”. Immediately on landing the slide may be repeated, and the bird may continue for several seconds sliding backwards and jumping forwards. When the backward slides and forward jumps are repeated without pause, the intervals between successive jumps are about 1-4—2-2 seconds (based on sound recordings of three display bouts totalling 12 jumps). (2) Less often the slide ends silently, the wings being momentarily spread horizontally and [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(1)] 26 the tail fanned at the end of the slide. When the slide ends thus the bird does not jump forward but, temporarily at least, the display ends. Stde-to-side slide. With its body orientated transversely to the perch the bird “slides” (i.e. takes very short steps) rapidly sideways about 10 cm. At the end of the slide, the explosive prr+ wing-noise is made and the bird jumps back to its original position. This display is clearly a variety of the backward slide, and intermediates between the two occur; but in their extreme forms the body is orientated so differently with respect to the perch that the displays appear very different. Display flight. The bird leaves its perch (referred to in what follows as the main perch) and flies with a downward and then upward trajectory to another perch at about the same height and 10-20 m away. After about 10 seconds (limits of those timed, 5-12 seconds) it returns to the main perch with rapid flight, again with a downward and then upward trajectory as it approaches the perch. It may then either land silently on the main perch, after which it usually immediately executes one or more backward or side-to-side slides; or it lands with a single or multiple (up to five) buzzing call, at the same time clinging to the perch and fluttering its wings. In contrast to the backward and side-to-side slides, which it performed on many different perches in its display area, the male that was watched for longest always used the same main perch for its display flights, a nearly horizontal, thin side branch near the top of a small and very slender under-story tree, about 5 m above the ground, which was in fact the lowest of all the perches that it was seen to use. This bird also occasionally remained for a minute or two on the perch to which it had flown from the main perch, and did a few slides on it before returning in display flight to its main perch. Too few observations were made on the other males to establish whether they always made their display flights to the same perch. COMPARISON WITH OTHER MANAKINS In the general organization of its display behaviour and the details of the displays, Pzpra cornuta is very similar to the small red- and orange-crowned manakins P. erythrocephala, rubrocapilla and mentalis, which it also most closely resembles in plumage pattern. (The display of P. chloromeros is unknown.) Thus the side-to-side slide of cornuta also occurs, but without the mechanical noise, in wentalis. A backward slide very similar to that of cornuta is performed by erythrocephala (Snow 1962) and rubrocapilla (Sick 1967). The display flight is performed, with variations, by all of them. The behaviour of two males, when they come together on neutral ground between their two display areas, seems to be identical in its essentials in coruuta and erythrocephala. The same display elements also occur in the red-and-yellow-headed manakins of the Pipra aureola superspecies, but these latter are distinct in colour pattern and have some peculiar features in their display (Snow 1963, Snow & Schwartz in prep.), and are probably less closely related. The evidence thus shows that Haffer (1970) was correct in treating P. cornuta as a Close relative of P. erythrocephala and its allies. It should not, however, be included in the same superspecies, as he did, since it is not only broadly sympatric with erythrocephala but actually syntopic where the alti- tudinal ranges of the two species overlap. Its morphological distinctness, and the fact that it most closely resembles erythrocephala and rubrocapilla in one 27 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(1)] part of its display (the backward slide) and menfa/is in another element (the side-to-side slide, absent from the repertoire of erythrocephala and rubrocapilla), suggest that it is an early derivative of a stock that later became differentiated and gave rise to the erythrocephala superspecies. Acknowledgments I am grateful to the Royal Society and to CONICIT, the Venezuelan national scientific research organization, for grants enabling me to visit Venezuela; and to Dr. William H. Phelps, Jr., and Sr. Ramon Aveledo H. for permission to study specimens in the Phelps collection in Caracas. The weights of Pipra cornuta ate from specimens in the Phelps collection. References: Bates, H. W. 1863. The Naturalist on the River Amazons. London: John Murray. Haffer, J. 1970. Art-Entstehung bei einigen Waldv6geln Amazoniens. /. Orn. 111: 285-331. Mayr, E. & Phelps, W. H. 1967. The origin of the bird fauna of the south Venezuelan highlands. Bul/. Amer. Mus. nat. Hist. 136: 269-328. Sick, H. 1967. Courtship behavior in manakins (Pipridae): a review. Living Bird 6: 5-22. Snow, D. W. 1962. A field study of the Golden-headed Manakin, Pipra erythrocephala, in Trinidad, W.1. Zoologica 47: 183-198. Snow, D. W. 1963. The display of the Orange-headed Manakin. Condor 65: 44-48. Address: British Museum (Natural History), Tring, Herts. Relationships between the two races of the San Blas Jay Cyanocorax sanblasiana by John William Hardy & Ralph J. Raitt Received 22 December 1976 The nominate race of the San Blas Jay Cyanocorax s. sanblasiana is apparently restricted in range to the narrow coastal plain of the state of Guerrero, Mexico, from ¢. 70 km southeast of Acapulco to ¢. 100 km northwest of that city (Miller et a/. [Eds.] 1957—Pacific Coast Avifauna 33: 1-436). We began a long term comparative study of this and other, allopatric, closely related jays in July 1974, in relation to their ecology and behaviour, making a special effort in summer 1975 to discover the distributional relationships between the two races of the San Blas Jay, C. s. sanblasiana and C. s. nelsoni. We drove along the narrow coastal plain northwest from Acapulco toward Zihuatanejo (see Fig. 1), stopping frequently to look for jays, to broadcast sounds of their voices to attract them, to study the habitat, and to question local residents about the existence of jays in their particular areas. The nominate race seems to breed entirely in coconut palm plantations northwest of Acapulco and southeast of the city at least partly in such plan- tations, but also in native broadleaved evergreen scrub. Breeding distribution is patchy: where family breeding units are found, the species seems common, but nearby in seemingly identical habitat, the birds may be absent or rare. Distribution to the south apparently ends where the coastal plain narrows and the hills reach the ocean southeast of Acapulco. Northwestward from Acapulco, seemingly appropriate habitat of palms continues for ¢. 155 km, to where the coastal plain and the palms terminate in hills, southeast of Zihuatanejo. Yet the jay has not been recorded farther northwest than Tecpan [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(1)] 28 de Galeana, 104 km by road from Acapulco; and at El Llano, 24 km farther northwest where palms are abundant, Mexican farmers told us that the jay does not occur. There is thus a hiatus of 200 km northward from Tecpan to the southeasternmost point of known occurrence of C. s. ne/soni at La Lagunilla. This geographic separation of the two races, previously only implied in the literature, makes it easier to understand the racially distinctive plumage and softparts of the two races first suggested by Davis (1960, Condor 62: 215— 219), differences that seem closely related to their social behaviour, as pre- dicted by Hardy (1976, W2/son Bull. 88: 96-120). In one captive bird of the a a A RMAZATLAN oo, 7 SSINALOA 4 ae = ) “G7: C eel iy NAYARIT( S75 an SANBLAS YO 4 Bh Do Kneis Str : . = m4 4 MEXICO ~LA LAGUNILLA * GUERRERO *-., \e_ZIHUATANEJO ; ae TECPAN DE GALEANA {| Sea RU COYUCA gt Sp PIE DE LA CUESTA: WR, J Figure 1. Geographic ranges of the two races of the San Blas Jay Cyanocorax san- blasiana. A, nelsoni and B, sanblasiana. Occurrences of jays at La Lagunilla and Tecpan de Galeana are substanti- ated by museum specimens. nominate race, Hardy (1974, Bird-Banding 45: 253-268) had detected a difference in their social-alarm calls comparable in degree to their differences in external morphology, encouraging further field investigation. In museum specimens of C. s. sanblasiana Davis (1960 op. cit.) could find no birds indicating the existence of intermediate phenotypes between early first year and adult stages, which suggested to him that birds of this race, unlike those of C. s. nelsoni, attained the adult phenotype (like that of ne/sonz) by one year of age. Adults in both races have yellow irides and black bills. First year birds (to yearling age) were distinguishable from adults by plumage wear associated with lack of moult of remiges and rectrices. 29 [Bull, B.O.C. 1977: 97(1)] The apparent acceleration of change to adult phenotype detected by Davis seems to have been an artifact of the series of specimens examined. Our field work on C. 5. sanblasiana has revealed that there is not only a distinctive first year plumage, but also a 2-year-old stage as well, both distinguishable in the field from the adult stages. There are, however, clear-cut differences in these stages between the two races of the jay (Table 1). TABLE 1 Differences in plumage and softpart in Cyanocorax s. sanblasiana and C. s. nelsoni Bill Colour Crest Trides Yearlings sanblasiana black prominent dark brown nelsoni particolour more prominent dark brown 2-year olds sanblasiana black absent brown to dark greenish-yellow nelsoni black present dark brown 3-year olds sanblasiana black absent greenish-yellow to like adult nelsoni black remnant brown Adults sanblasiana black absent yellow nelsoni black variable remnant ¢ brownish to greenish-yellow; 2 yellow Yearling sanblasiana have black bills, which may show some greyish or whitish marks on the inside, whereas the bills in yearling ne/soni are parti- coloured black and horn. We confirmed the existence of the 2-year-old stage in sanblasiana by marking two yearlings in 1974 and recapturing them a year later. Age stages in ne/soni had previously been determined by maintaining captives from juvenile and yearling age for 2 to 3 years. While the crest in 2-year-olds of ne/soni is less prominent than in yearlings, it is still visible in the field; but in 2-year-old sanblasiana two or three wispy crest feathers may be evident only in hand held birds. There is no third-year stage in sanblasiana easily and consistently distinguishable from the adult as may exist in ne/soni. A 3-year-old captive female xe/soni had dark brown irides, intermediate to those of 2-year-old and adult birds until she was at least 39 months old. At her death at about 42 months her irides were olive (Hardy 1973 op. cit.). We ringed several 2-year-old sanblasiana June—July 1975, and in 1976 recaptured them as well as some yearlings ringed in July 1974, and no differences from adults were apparent. One known 3-year-old sanblasiana had yellow irides like those of birds judged to be 4 or more years old, while two 3-year-olds, examined in the hand, showed greenish or brownish yellow murkiness around the pupils or peripherally to the otherwise yellow irides, not detectable in the field through binoculars. Hardy (1974 op. cit.) detected sexual dichromatism in iris colour in adult xe/sonz, 8 females having yellow irides and 3 males having brownish to greenish yellow irides. An examination in the wild of 26 adult sanblasiana detected no such dichromatism, iris colour varying from yellow to yellow with a very faintly greenish cast. [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(1)] 30 In nelsoni, 9 females averaged 104 g in weight (92-112 g), whereas 5 males averaged 121 g (117-123 g). In sanblasiana, 14 females, distinguished on the basis of breeding roles or brood patches, averaged 107 g (94-118 g, only one bird exceeding 114 g); 12 males distinguished on the basis of breeding role or cloacal protuberance, averaged 116 g (112-119 g). Thus in adults of both races, females are significantly lighter than males. The social-alarm calls of the two races of San Blas Jay are distinguishable by ear and by sonographic analysis (Fig. 2). In ne/soni this call is a rather uniform nasal-sounding chatter; in sanblasiana, to the chatter is added con- sistently another component, which is a more sustained, downwardly inflected cawing sound resembling the typical component of the social- alarm call of C. melanocyanea of Central America and the cawing sound of Figure 2. A comparison of social-alarm call structure in (left) C. s. me/soni and (right) C. s. sanblasiana. The specimens selected show the extreme differences noted, but sometimes C’. s. sanblasiana is as staccato as nelsoni. No sustained components, as shown for nelsoni, have been heard from sanblasiana. C. beecheii. When individuals of C. beecheii, C. yucatanica, C. melanocyanea and C. sanblasiana are confronted with a tape recorder playback of their own social-alarm calls, they will respond by approaching and sometimes by uttering the same call, though individuals quickly habituate to this experi- mental procedure. When the same jays hear the social-alarm calls of the other species, they do not approach or call. On the other hand, when we played social-alarm calls of nelsoni to sanblasiana, they responded by approaching and calling. It would therefore seem that apparent difference in voice is not as yet an isolating mechanism in the process of divergence of ne/soni and sanblasiana from each other. The minor, though consistent, differences in external features probably fall into the same category. The two sanblasiana forms are therefore classic examples of geographic races with a potential for reaching 31 [Bull,. B.O.C. 1977: 97(1)] specific status, since there is currently no apparent gene-flow between their populations. We acknowledge the support of our respective institutions, as well as Occidental College (Moore Laboratory of Zoology Endowment Fund) and the American Museum’s Frank M. Chapman Fund. The major portion of the work was partially supported by NSF research grants BMS 74-11107 and DE B76-09735. We thank the members of our field party who assisted in this study, Harold Mayfield, Howard S. Gates, Gary L. Grabowski and Jack T. Vollertson. Address: John William Hardy, Florida State Museum, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611. Ralph J. Raitt, Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, 88003. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature : Opinions In continuation of Bul/. Brit. Orn. Cl. 96, 1976: 142, and by permission of the International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature, the following Rulings are quoted as extracts from Opinions published in Bul/. Zoo/. Nomencl. affecting birds: OPINION 1056 (Bull. Zool. Nomencl. 33(1), 1976: 16) Exudyptes atratus Finsch, 1875 ex Hutton MS. (Aves): suppressed under the plenary powers (1) Under the plenary powers, the specific name afratus Finsch, 1875, ex Hutton MS., as published in the binomen Exdyptes atratus, is hereby suppressed for the purposes of the Law of Priority but not for those of the Law of Homonymy. (2) The following specific names are hereby placed on the Official List of Specific Names in Zoology: (a) sclateri Buller, 1888, as published in the binomen Exdyptes sclateri (Name Number 2571); (b) robustus Oliver, 1953, as published in the binomen Exdyptes robustus (Name Number 2572). (3) The specific name afratus Finsch, 1875, ex Hutton MS., as published in the binomen Exudyptes atratus, and as suppressed under the plenary powers in (1) above, is hereby placed on the Official Index of Rejected and Invalid Specific Names in Zoology with the Name Number 1009. OPINION 1060 (Bull. Zool. Nomencl. 33(1), 1976: 27) Suppression of Diomedea leptorhyncha Coues, 1866 (Aves) (1) Under the plenary powers, the specific name /eptorhyncha Coues, 1866, as published in the binomen Diomedea leptorhyncha, is hereby suppressed for the purposes of the Law of Priority, but not for those of the Law of Homonymy. (2) The specific name /rrorata Salvin, 1883, as published in the binomen Déomedea irrorata, is hereby placed on the Official List of Specific Names in Zoology with the Name Number 2578. (3) The specific name /eptorhyncha Coues, 1866, as published in the binomen Diéomedea leptorhyncha, and as suppressed under the plenary powers in (1) above, is hereby placed on a Ha Index of Rejected and Invalid Specific Names in Zoology with the Name umber 1012. [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(1)] 32 IN BRIEF Application of Halcyon ruficollaris Holyoak and Alcyone ruticollaris Bankier Holyoak in 1976 (Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 96: 40) prematurely proposed the new name Falcyon mangaia for a species that he had previously named H. rafi- collaris in 1974 (Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 94: 147). His reason for doing so followed an indication that Halcyon ruficollaris Holyoak was a junior homonym of Alcyone ruficollaris Bankier 1841 (Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 6: 394), itself a synonym of Halcyon sancta Vigors & Horsfield 1827 (Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. £55200). It appears, however, that Alcyone ruficollaris Bankier has been referred incorrectly to Halcyon sancta by Mathews (Systema Avium Australasianarum (1927) 1: 379) and subsequently by Peters (Check-list of Birds of the World (1955) §: 205). Hartert (Novit. Zool. (1930) 36: 99) pointed out that Bankier’s name applies instead to Aledo azurea, and designated a northern Australian subspecies (see Schodde & Mason, Emu (1976) 76: 161-166). The type specimen from Port Essington in Arnhem Land may unfortunately be lost. Although Mathews (Jbis 1931: 50) quickly pointed out that Bankier’s name was senior to Gould’s pulchra in Alcedo aurea, he latex reverted to listing that name under Halcyon sancta in his “Working List of Australian Birds” (1956: 73). Nevertheless, both Laubmann in his comprehensive studies of king- fishers (Anz. Orn. Ges. Bayern (1942) 22: 192) and Deignan (Rec. Amer. Aust. Sci. Exped. Arnhem Land, (1964) 4 (Zool): 391) treated ruficollaris Bankier as a subspecies of Alcedo azurea, a position with which we concur. Condon, incidentally, (Checklist of the Birds of Australia, pt. 1, Non-passerines —1975) cites Bankier’s name in the synonymies of both Aledo azurea (=Ceyx azureus) and Halcyon sancta. Because we now interpret AJcyone ruficollaris Bankier and Halcyon ruficollaris Holyoak as referring to different genera (see ICZN (1964) Art. 59c), Halcyon ruficollaris Holyoak stands as the valid name for the Mangaia Kingfisher, and Halcyon mangaia Holyoak becomes a junior objective synonym of it. We are grateful to M. D. Bruce and Dr. G. F. Mees for bringing various publications to our attention. 3 December 1976 R. Schodde and D. T. Holyoak Addresses: R. Schodde, CSIRO, P.O. Box 84, Lyneham, A.C.T. 2602, Australia. D. T. Holyoak, 58 Southdown Avenue, Brighton, Sussex, BN1 6EH, England. BOOKS RECEIVED = « Sanders, J. & Berg, K. 1976. A Guide to Bird-Watebing in Denmark. Pp. 63, numerous maps and illustrations. Photolitho, soft covers. Obtainable from J. Tidy, 9 Freewaters Close, Ickleford, Hitchin, Herts. £1.70 post free. Fack: Stockholm. Very explicitly and usefully describes and shows on detailed maps how to reach some 4o of more bird localities in west and northeast Denmark for a holiday, and what main species to expect in each, with additional short notes on best dates, expenses, travel, accommodation, etc. | 7 ae ae AW 4 ae: $ Nay Ub os i * 3 ely 4 RI ee ‘ 5 ; Saree ee aes : Tee rtfenal Fs ae eee i (3 ii ym) Aa eemenerinnn pg at eS ‘i Si. hit eb a9 40 ieinane ts 2 ee se ae td t porcararditc he Er Sai aT Yael ee Oona a 2s : a Sa Teak 4 Ly Ay: CF a bs: ; a” EY LY ie + . ‘ t Fe ise | oe) ay ~ | : 3 » apaton) reg hat Y ald: ae holt iw mt A : ae bj bs ™ . Va e De Ceeenr ity art vee! 7 ‘sgt sts gered wh ho Reidinses pas Magee ots peey ee ye TCH Wath Fine Ay Tas TTY iD, Spisatpeeato DI ihe aU fae Marae TAK: zea Mie eecsise Bh) ORLA IS SS, OE NO OTe A ee) " [oa aS Pees an sere. j he? tj sie ies! oy Bh dingy , area ts ‘ 4 a oe ee a ee Ae MY eon, 7 bere: {Sons iparcdeec? 2) Pea at ids i y® hte en tay 8 a M.! 3 Geog ~~ 8 4 , * : ° i : Zz pes tip ah OS ’ id Taree 2? ' S SEO ee +" JA 2 It oe ‘ of ) , be ‘ \ w « ; of AS ; £ “ ‘ cq *) he © a , ; . - : he ak! ss ay » AP U7 OTF RB SCUCGR hcl SLT PY bowet ene oer Le) rey SO I a ye ft. Ne of J - ie a fee ‘ ‘ ae. abet et u Meat re} /& pt ae i: ALAA ) a8 hs Sites ies Na Nae 1 Ri 3 a ate fi 1 ¥ 3 Sus Py TST = re \r +a ~* ‘ f ’ . RAAF od “4 .* ed) Aiia . * j ~ © P * . ,* “SNa) Bl QR Nr vs +S Ba Bae set oe a7 Ce) Ss Wig SRe WO ede ae? “ ie RR a4 f i 4 fy ie ae ite ny “ey : é' ‘ « ; At 2 gal e q Le od le b é ed { r : ne nay Suse Om SUS Abe ae ey 7 . : : ht ab} MPG avid, i: Leyla wel é 2 4) : ; ve Ps be “pi yah “aay atl, it wn. Bret ase tian, ra : ie 3 a ee eae ga! Tage oR 7 bY } ( ae on Pla Ie . ; Ag se CS BeBY iA TAC S>%:; ep teginerd ts Pa Pe). Sr wosied itlg> 2 >’ Le f : Te a , . P sata fei In Diets: shyt mri 8 FY ate ANAL) Fae Pe ul ‘ ? . so Oa jai 4 das crea Lx ss vhs CA 2a, att ast Poe eS Sj 4 ’, he ry Bole: - SIV. STi ¢ - clygpe, { >i ar tN wrt ’ ‘ P Ze 7 fs « s ae ES try; ed re NM. , + ; : . _ < a F ii te . : 7 “Hi: pucpipa | oiieatet ae > vires pe ey fy Whew i Eee yg 7 Tt Last) | a . bi eg @ se Sorni ess AG. foes) yestn OAT CTT nel ies (2 eave t tat i. u ait, sdciina Lee ty f , ri seis ee ee raf byt Aare * ie a . : my 5 A a tate ot ie eS Oe ae ort us Oh > Rao ame ; : i P 4 “ : r ; — ! Cyt Fw i hoes {4 Sere Ter A ee Se tare oe hes Ora 6 Scere atthe) TREE Sekt fT Sean visits << : "ete BS Po 4 +. $< re F ie 4M. ws iit ‘ aan net ra} é ae . - 7 7 es aes . Pan | ve Ti ir “ade hee a 4 “ae ? I ro He 7, "N ; ‘ ¢ 3 =% Fi re. OF 20D 9y AU SEAS SO AT ERE SR EGY Soi sk MEIC TFR i md Fae Pea ei aes ey i Se D COM AAA AI Wi: herein: ee Latha! Vos vee mae} cols : os ROSES AT AMON ES g re ie “4, ts ROR Rae “ay ye a GP sian ss Tar eeeh abs aise th pride . i ie 2 eee Siti See - pe ‘ely? te He INARA 4 Ww. : Patt ae Cohn . ; a ee at cs ~aherain ree bee ete mts drenthen tool se Cindinw DMG ba cae Sts BT deni sation te eae HOR: HO. part SAR ei ficial % ; ae »S NOTICE TO CONTRIBUTORS Papers, whether by Club Members or by non-members, should be sent to the Editor, Dr. J. F. Monk, The Glebe Cottage, Goring, Reading RG8 9AP, and are accepted on the understanding that they are offered solely for publication in the Bulletin. 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Published by the BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB and printed by The Caxton and Holmesdale Press, 104 London Road Sevenoaks Kent. ISSN 0007 - 1595 Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club Edited by Dr. J. F. MONK Volume 97 No. 2 June 1977 FORTHCOMING MEETINGS The attention of Members is drawn to the outstanding programme described below. Mr. Stanley Cramp is Chief Editor of the “Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (Birds of the Western Palaearctic)”. We are par- ticularly pleased that it has been possible to arrange for Professor V. C. Wynne- Edwards, a past President of the B.O.U., to address us and he will speak on a subject of wide interest on which he is the leading authority. Dr. Stephanie Tyler needs no introduction and she will cover observations made before and during the eight months she was held captive in Ethiopia. Tuesday, 19 July 1977 at 6.30 p.m. for 7 p.m., at the Goat Tavern, 3 Stafford Street, London, W.1. (between Old Bond Street and Albemarle Street, nearest Underground station, Green Park). Mr. Stanley Cramp, 0.3.£., B.A., on the Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (The Birds of the Western Palaearctic), Vol. 1 of which is due for publication in June 1977. Those wishing to attend should send a cheque for _ww»f2270 a person to the Hon. Secretary with their acceptance on the relevant enclosed slip to arrive by first post on Thursday, 14 July. Thursday, 15 September 1977 at 6.15 p.m. for 6.45 p.m., at the Senior Common Room, South Side, Imperial College, South Kensington (entrance on the south side of Prince’s Gardens, S.W.7., on the E. side of Exhibition Road). Professor V. C. Wynne-Edwards, C.B.E., F.R.S., F.R.S.E., F.R.S.C., oft “Social competition controlling population density in birds’’. Those wishing to attend should inform Mrs. Diana Bradley, 53 Osterley Road, Isleworth, Middlesex on the appropriate enclosed slip, with a cheque for £3-75 per person, to arrive by first post on Monday 12 September. PLEASE NOTE THIS MEETING IS ON A THURSDAY AND THAT ACCEP- TANCES MUST BE NOTIFIED TO MRS. DIANA BRADLEY. Tuesday, 15 November 1977 at 6.30 p.m. for 7 p.m. at the Senior Common Room, South Side, Imperial College, South Kensington, Dr. Stephanie Tyler, pH.p., on the avifauna of Ethiopia and describing especially observations in Tigre and Eritrea. COMMITTEE P. Hogg (Chairman) Dr. G. Beven (Vice-Chairman) R. E. F. Peal (Hon. Secretary) M. St.J. Sugg (Hon. Treasurer) Dr. J. F. Monk (Editor) Mrs. J. D. Bradley C. E. Wheeler B. Gray V. F. Mann Sy Ms e i an *t>,*™ L - (Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] BiretOr? BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB Vol. 97 No. 2 Published: 20 June 1977 The seven hundred and fifth Meeting of the Club was held at the British Museum (Natural History), London, S.W.7. at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, 15 March 1977, when Mr. J. M. Forshaw spoke on “‘The ecology of parrots in Australia and their adaptations to changing environ- ments”, with coloured illustrations. He discussed the effects of changes in the environment on a number of species, especially on the Galah Eolophus roseicapillus and the Australian Ground Parrot Pezoporus wallicus. This meeting was held jointly with the International Council for Bird Preservation (British Section) with Professor J. H. Elgood as Chairman and a buffet supper followed the talk. The attendance was 127 of which 28 were Members of the Club and their guests. The seven hundred and sixth Meeting of the Club was held at the Senior Common Room, South Side, Imperial College, London, S.W.7. at 6.45 p.m. on Tuesday, 3 May 1977. Chairman: Professor J. H. Elgood; present 22 members and 10 guests. Mr. M. W. Woodcock gave the first of three talks on the birds in Asia, making a com- parison of the avifauna of the Indian sub-continent with that of $.E. Asia and that of Africa south of the Sahara. Lord Medway then spoke on migrants in Malaysia, dealing especially with information gained from ringing in 1963-1971. He dealt with a number of aspects of migration, including direction, timing and moult. Mr. I. C. Orr concluded with a talk on ornithology in China, dealing especially with the main lines of research there, and showed copies of several recent Chinese ornithological books. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The eighty-fifth Annual General Meeting of the British Ornithologists’ Club was held at Imperial College, London, S.W.7. on Tuesday, 3 May 1977 at 5.45 p.m. with Professor J. H. Elgood, M.a., in the chair. Thirteen members were present. The Minutes of the eighty-fourth Annual General Meeting (Bu//. Brit. Orn. C7. 96: 41) were approved and signed. The Report of the Committee and Accounts for 1976 were presented and a brief discus- sion followed, in the course of which the Hon. Treasurer stated that the excess of income over expenditure would very probably be replaced in 1977 by a deficit, because of increased costs of printing. On the Chairman’s proposal, they were received and adopted unanimously. The Editor reported that there had been an ample supply of good papers for the Bulletin but that it had been possible to reduce the period between receipt and publication to three months for some shorter contributions. There being no nominations additional to those of the Committee, the following were declared elected :— Chairman: Mr. P. Hogg (vice Professor J. H. Elgood, who retired on completion of his term of office). Vice-Chairman: Dr. G. Beven, M.D., B.sC., (vice Mr. P. Hogg, who retired on completion of his term of office). Hon. Treasurer: Mr. M. St.J. Sugg, M.A., (re-elected). Hon. Secretary: Mt. R. E. F. Peal (re-elected). Committee: Mr. B. Gray and Mr. V. F. Mann, B.sc., (vice Dr. G. Beven and Dr. C. J. O. Harrison). Mr. P. Hogg proposed and Dr. J. F. Monk seconded a vote of thanks to the Chairman for the kindly and efficient way in which he had presided over the Club during his term of office and this was carried by acclamation. The Meeting closed at 6.10 p.m. [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] 34 New Laridae records from Hong Kong by David Melille Received 19 October 1976 Although reliable quantitative data are lacking, most observers agree that over the past five yeats or so there has been a considerable increase in the number of gulls present in Hong Kong during the winter months, particu- larly in the case of the Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus. Ten years ago, for instance, Herklots (1967) noted this species as common in Deep Bay (over 100 birds on more than one occasion), but less frequently seen in Hong Kong Harbour, though over 100 were present in late January 1960. In the wintet of 1975/76 over 3,000 were recorded in Deep Bay and over 10,000 in the Har- bour area in January 1977. Macfarlane & Macdonald (1966) list five species of Laridae for Hong Kong: Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull Larus argentatus, Slaty-backed Gull L. schistisagus, Glaucous Gull L. hyperboreus and Black-tailed Gull L. crassirostris; and there is also a record of a Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus by de la Moussaye (1958) in February 1957. Since 1966 four species of gull and one of skua have been recorded for the first time in Hong Kong; Great Black- headed Gull L. zchthyaetus, Brown-headed Gull L. brunnicephalus, Common Gull L. canus, Saunder’s Gull L. saundersi and Long-tailed Skua Stercorarius longicaudus, as well as an additional record of Glaucous Gull. The number of experienced field observers in Hong Kong has increased — slowly over the past decade and observers have paid increasing attention to gulls in the past two o1 three years. While this may account fo1 the sightings of certain species (e.g. Saunders’ Gull), the sightings of the Brown-headed Gull may reflect a genuine range expansion. Unfortunately Cheng (1976) generally gives no details of numerical status and his distributional data are imprecise. On the other hand, the fact that winter 1974/75 was a “good” winter for uncommon gulls cannot be solely attributed to increased observer activity since the level of activity was maintained in the two succeeding winters, when the numbers of Black-tailed Gulls, for example, were lower than in 1974/75, for reasons which are not apparent. Larus 1cHTHYAETUS Great Black-headed Gull Two records. An adult in partial breeding plumage seen near Lau Fau Shan, Deep Bay on 26 Dec 1974 by R. E. Hale, M. A. Webster and others, was with 9 Caspian Terns Hydroprogne caspia, about 260 Black-headed Gulls and 180 Herring Gulls (L. argentatus vegae and L. a. mongolicus), and was identified by its size (larger than Herring Gull), crown and nape blackish with conspicuous white broken eye ring round back of eye (not front), bill noticeably longer and heavier than Herring Gull with yellow, turning to red, just before the black subterminal band. Although subsequently searched for, the bird was seen only once again ¢ 6 km north at Mai Po on 23 Feb 1975 (D. Bradford). A second record was of an adult in full breeding plumage at Pak Nai, Deep Bay on 12 Mar 1977 (M. L. Chalmers). The species breeds in Inner Mongolia (Lakes Tsinghai and Chanin), mi- grating through western Sinkiang and Szechuan to winter south to Tenas- serim (Cheng 1976, Vaurie 1965). The present records appear to be the most easterly for the species and are interesting in that the birds were adults. 35 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] LARUS HYPERBOREUS G/aucous Gull Two earlier records exist for this species: an immature in Hong Kong Harbour February 1908 (Vaughan & Jones 1913) and a party of 7 (adults?) also there on 23 Mar 1936 (Herklots 1936). No details are given for the first record and those for the second are unsatisfactory — particularly in the light of recent records of albinistic, leucistic and hybrid gulls (Hedgren & Larsson 1973, Hume 1975, Mikkola 1970). Both tecords have been rejected by Web- ster (1975). On 15 Mar 1974 I had good close views of a first-year “‘arctic” gull in flight at the sewer outfall at Kai Tak Airport with about 130 Black-headed Gulls and 45 Herring Gulls. Its overall pale “milky coffee” plumage, typical of first year Glaucous Gulls and Iceland Gulls Larus glaucoides stood out from the other sub-adult gulls. Other features were light coloured primaries, secon- daries tipped cream/white, legs flesh pink, iris dark brown, bill with basal two-thirds flesh coloured and a clear cut dark brown/black tip, heavier than in the Herring Gulls, than which it was slightly, but noticeably, larger. Both Glaucous and Glaucous-winged Larus glaucescens Gulls are regular winter visitors to Japan (Orn. Soc. Japan 1974), but neither species has been recorded from Korea (Gore & Won 1971). Vaurie (1965) records the Glaucous-winged from “south-eastern China”, while Cheng (1976) records it in spring on the Fukien coast (¢ 900 km northeast) and the Glaucous Gull as a migrant and winter visitor in small numbers to Hopei, Kwangsu and Kwangtung. Both species have been recorded in Hawaii (20°N), where the Glaucous-winged is more numerous (Sibley & MacFarlane 1968). There is a record of Ayperboreus and glaucescens hybridising (Devillers e¢ a/. 1971) and both hybridise with Herring Gulls (Ingolfsson 1970, Patten 1976). Hybrid gulls often show a complete range of parental characteristics and while there is an increasing amount of information available concerning field identification of adult hybrids, sub-adults pose a more difficult problem. While the Kai Tak bird appeared to me to be a typical first-year Glaucous Gull (with which I am familiar), the possibility of a hybrid can not be entirely ruled out. LARUS BRUNNICEPHALUS Brown-headed Gull For about half a minute on 21 Nov 1974 I watched from a ferry off Green Island, Hong Kong Harbour, an adult in non-breeding plumage. It was with ¢ 7o Black-headed Gulls, than which it was noticeably larger with a con- spicuously different wing pattern due to a large black wing tip with a prominent white mirror in the centre, and adjacent to this a band of white running across the light grey wing. The underparts and tail were white and the head also appeared entirely white, though there may have been a dusky patch on the ear coverts since these were not visible on the Black-headed Gulls either. Following this record there were 11 others during the next 18 months :— five Jan—Feb 1975, one Dec 1975 and five Feb—Mar 1976 (seven adults, four first-year birds). In addition, T. P. Garland had had sightings (undocu- mented) on 22 Dec 1971: one in Castle Peak Bay, two off Lantau and two in Hong Kong Harbour (all adults). Vaurie (1965) records the species wintering in Indochina, and Wildash (1968) records it for “southern South Vietnam”, while Cheng (1976) shows it wintering in Yunan (¢ 1500 km west) with records of “‘migrants”’ in north- [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] 36 west Kangsu, Shansi and Hopei. A single adult was recorded in Perak, Malaya in 1959 (Medway & Nisbet 1967). There were no further records from Malaya until 1964 when at least 200 were recorded, and the species has since been recorded as far south as the Jahore Strait (Medway & Nisbet 1965, Medway & Wells 1970). The adult has such a distinctive wing pattern that it would be difficult to overlook the species and it is likely that the species is expanding its range in southeast Asia. Larus CANUS Common Gull Aylmer (1932) records, without details, that “Eastern Common Gulls” were seen in Hong Kong Harbour in January and February 1932; Herklots (1967) does not include the species. An adult in non-breeding plumage was seen in Hong Kong Harbour on 23 Jan 1968 with a party of Herring and Black-headed Gulls (D. G. Robert- son). It was intermediate in size, with a streaked head, grey back and wings with dark tips and white mirrors, and yellow bill and legs. I saw a first-year bird at Kai Tak Airport on 14, 20 and 21 Feb 1975, usually at rest with Black- headed and Herring Gulls, and also sub-adult Black-tailed Gulls, than which it had paler underparts, conspicuous grey scapulars and a less heavy bill. Vaurie (1965) and Cheng (1976) record the species wintering along the whole southern coast of China. LARUS SAUNDERSI Saunders Gull Although occurring in March and September (“‘common in spring’’) in Kwangtung Province (Cheng 1940), this species was not recorded in Hong Kong until 14 Mar 1969, when two adults in breeding plumage were seen at Mai Po, Deep Bay (Wilson 1970). Since then it has been recorded annually in the Mai Po area between November and March, mainly Feb—Mar (groups of 50+), with single first-year birds at Mai Po on 20 April and Kai Tak Airport on 29 Apr 1975. Most birds were adults in breeding plumage with dark black heads, at a time when most Black-headed Gulls were still in non-breeding plumage. First year birds were first recorded in 1971, and only occasionally since. In the springs of 1975 (40-++ birds) and 1976 (53+ birds) there were about equal numbers of adults in breeding and non-breeding plumage, with one or two first-year birds. Cheng (1976) records the species wintering in the lower parts of the Yangtze River, Fukien, Taiwan, Kwangtung and Hainan, and it occurs as a vagrant in Japan and Korea (Orn. Soc. Japan. 1974, Gore & Won 1971). The breeding range is still unknown (Cheng 1976). STERCORARIUS LONGICAUDUS Long-tailed Skua An adult in full breeding plumage was seen at Mai Po, Deep Bay on 9 May 1976 flying inland from the sea, passing almost directly overhead. The diag- nostic features were well seen:—stout dark-coloured gull-like bill, dark brown cap, upper parts brown, white collar and underparts. The long tail streamers were approximately one third of the total length of the bird (M. A. Webster). The Pacific race of the Long-tailed Skua breeds in northeastern Siberia and winters in the southern Pacific (Vaurie 1965). Its migrations are virtually unknown (King 1967) and there are no previous records from China (Cheng 1976). It is perhaps noteworthy that the continental anticyclone, normally weakening by mid-April, persisted until mid-May in 1976 before giving way to the warm easterly airstream charactersitic of summer in Southeast China. 37 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] Acknowledgements: 1 would like to thank all those observers whose records have been used in the compilation of this note and M. L. Chalmers, T. P. Garland, M. A. Webster and especially Dr. J. F. Monk for their helpful comments. References: Aylmer, E. A. 1932. “Notes and Comments”. Ornithology. Hong Kong Naturalist 3: 64-67. Cheng, T-h. 1940. A preliminary check-list of the birds heretofore recorded from Kwang- tung and nearby islands including Hainan. Part 1. Non-passerine birds. Lingnan Science Journal 19: 133-181. Cheng, T-h. 1976. [Distributional List of Chinese Birds] (Rev. ed.). Peking. de la Moussaye, R. 1958. Introduction a l’étude des oiseaux de Hong Kong. L’ Oiseaux e¢ R.F.O. 28: 123-139. Devillers, P., McCaskie, G. & Jehl, J. R. 1971. The distribution of certain large gulls (Larus) in southern California and Baja California. Calif. Birds 2: 11-26. Gore, M. E. J. & Won, Pyong-oh. 1971. The Birds of Korea. Royal Asiatic Society: Seoul. Hedgren, S. & Larsson, L. 1973. Vittrut Larus hyperboreus, vitvingad trut L. glaucoides eller missfargad annan trut—svarighter vid faltbestamning av ljusvingarde trutar. Var Fagelvarld 32: 173-198. Herklots, G. A. C. 1936. “Notes and Comments”. Ornithology. Hong Kong Naturalist 7: 83. — 1967. Hong Kong Birds (Rev. ed.). South China Morning Post: Hong Kong. Hume, R. A. 1975. Identification and ageing of Glaucous and Iceland Gulls. Brit. Birds 68: 24-37. Ingolfsson, A. 1970. Hybridisation of Glaucous Gulls Larus hyperboreus and Herring Gulls L. argentatus in Iceland. [bis 112: 340-362. King, W. B. 1967. Preliminary Smithsonian Identification Manual: Seabirds of the Tropical Pacific Ocean. Smithsonian Institution: Washington. Macfarlane, A. M. & Macdonald, A. D. 1966. An Annotated Check-list of the Birds of Hong Kong (revised by Caunter, J. R. L. & Macfarlane, A. M.). Hong Kong Birdwatching Society. Medway, Lord & Nisbet, I. C T. 1965. Bird Report 1964. Malayan Nature Journal 19: 160-194. — 1967. Bird Report 1965. Malayan Nature Journal 20: 68-70. Medway, Lord & Wells, D. R. 1970. Bird Report 1968. Malayan Nature Journal 23: 61-64. Mikkola, K. 1970. Identification of albino Herring Gulls. Ornis Fen. 47: 172-176. Ornithological Society of Japan. 1974. Check-list of Japanese Birds. Fifth and revised edition. Gakken: Japan. Patten, S. M. 1976. Sympatry and interbreeding of Herring and Glaucous-winged Gulls in southeastern Alaska. Pacific Seabird Group Bulletin 3: 25-26. Sibley, F. C. & MacFarlane, R. W. 1968. Gulls in the Central Pacific. Pacific Science 22: 314-321. Vaughan, R. E. & Jones, K. H. 1913. The birds of Hong Kong, Macao and the West River ot Si Kiang in South-Eastern China, with special reference to their identification and movements. /bis 10 (1913): 17-76, 163-201, 351-384. Vautie, 53 1965. The Birds of the Palearctic Fauna. Volume 2. Non-passeriformes. Witherby: London. Webster, M. A. 1975. An Annotated Check-list of the Birds of Hong Kong. Hong Kong Bird Watching Society. Wildash, P. 1968. The Birds of South Vietnam. Tuttle: Vermont. Wilson, R. A. I. 1970. Another first. Hong Kong Bird Report 1969: 56-57. Address: 44 The Ridgeway, Tonbridge, Kent, England. Erythrism in the Fiery-necked Nightjar Caprimulgus pectoralis by C. W. Benson & J. F. BR. Colebrook- Robjent Received 1 December 1976 According to Huxley (1964), polymorphism is absent in the order Capri- mulgiformes. Certainly we are unaware of any such instance having been recorded from southern Africa, even though Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1962: 520) state that the young of Caprimulgus pectoralis fervidus is ““more [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] 38 russet brown, especially on the upperside, than the adult”. The observations which follow have been prompted by the collection of two adults of this subspecies near Choma, Zambia, by one of us (J. C-R.), not in the usual phase, which we refer to as “grey”, but in a phase which may be termed “rufous”, i.e. erythristic. In the British Museum (Natural History), Tring, there are 21 specimens of C. p. pectoralis, all in a grey phase. However, of over 40 apparent adults of C. p. fervidus, while the majority are in this phase, there are certain exceptions, which together with J. C-R.’s two specimens are :— (1) 29, New Venture Farm, Sibinyati Ridge, near Choma, 7 Oct 1969, coll. J. C-R., from two eggs, oviduct still large and swollen. (2) 9, 10 miles north of Choma, 24 Aug 1969, coll. J. C-R., gonads enlarged (one oocyte of diameter 7 mm). we) BMNH no. 1953.54.161. ¢, Mwinilunga, Zambia, 29 May (no year), coll. C. M. N. 1te. (4) BMNH no. 1931.6.6.32. 9, Kikore, Kondoa Dist., Tanzania, 25 Sep 1930, coll. C,H. B. Grant. (5) BMNH no. 1935.10.11.47. ¢, Marang, Mbulu Dist., Tanzania, 20 Sep 1934, coll. R. E. Moreau. The following references to colour approximate to those in Smithe (1975). In the normal grey phase of C. p. fervidus, the crown, tail, throat and chest are “pale neutral gray” (color 86), the mantle “light neutral gray” ” (color 85). In all the above five specimens, however, the throat and chest are “‘cinnamon- rufous” (color 40). The crown is also this colour, except for no. 4, with a tendency to grey. The tail is variable, only no. 5 having it almost pure “cinnamon-rufous”, the others mixed with ‘ ‘pale neutral gray’. On the mantle none are the normal “light neutral gray’’. All show some “‘cinnamon- rufous’, best marked in no. 1, in which the mantle is almost uniform with the crown, which is only slightly brighter. The contrasting rufous collar on the hindneck, conspicuous in the grey phase, is little apparent in any of these five. Admittedly in the remainder of the material of adult fervidus, a few specimens show a slight admixture of rufous, more especially on the tail, but they all belong essentially with the grey phase. In Tring there are three young fervidus, not fully grown (McLachlan & Liversidge (1970) give the adult wing-length as 160-172, tail-length 118- 134 mm) :— BMNH no. 1900.2.20.6. Salisbury, Rhodesia, 16 Oct 1898, coll. G. A. K. Marshall. Wing 129, tail 56 mm. BMNH no. 1910.7.1.240. Chirinda, Rhodesia, 2 Oct 1906, coll. C. F. M. Swynnerton. Wing 95, tail 39 mm. BMNH no. 1910.7.1.241. Locality and collector as last, 30 Oct 1906. Wing 109, tail 57 mm. These three specimens, particularly the smallest, are very like the previous five detailed in colour, although there is no certainty that they would have retained any such rufous when adult. In fact the largest already has the crown “pearl gray” (color 81), the tail “‘pale neutral gray” (color 86). No doubt it was largely on this material that Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1962: 520) based their description of the young. The first five specimens, however, appear to be fully adult, affording examples of genuine erythrism. Nos. 1 and 2 were obviously close to breeding. No. 3, although marked as having testes small, is surely sexed correctly, since it has white extending back from the tips of the outer rectrices for some 50 instead of only 30 mm as in females, and furthermore has hardly any buffy wash on the white wing-spots. So there 39 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] cannot be any question of erythrism being confined to the female. No. 4 beats a pencilled note in Grant’s handwriting “Young bird by colour’, although it would appear to be adult, certainly fully grown—wing 165, tail 124 mm. Certain further young birds, but fully grown, need mention. Two fervidus collected by C. J. Andersson in northern South-West Africa (4, 2 Feb 1859; 2, 30 Nov 1859) are markedly rufous on the throat and chest, the male also on the mantle (and marked by Grant “Young bird by colour’’, surely correctly in this case). Presumably these two would have developed into a full grey phase, like four others from the same area. It would seem that not all young exhibit rufous. A male from Sokoke, coastal Kenya, 17 April 1970, collector P. R. Colston, although fully grown, is seemingly very young, the plumage unusually “soft” in appearance. Yet it is in a full grey phase. There is another such specimen of nominate pecfora/is, merely labelled “‘S. Africa’’, collector E. L. Layard. Of 10 apparent adults of C. p. nigriscapularis in Tring, all have some rufous on the tail, and the following have the crown rufous, not grey:—g, Gomba, Uganda, 24 Sep 1904, F. J. Jackson; 9, Bugoma Forest, Uganda, 2 Dec 1911, S. A. Neave; g, Mambolo, Port Loko, Sierra Leone, 16 Feb 1935, R. R. Glanville. These three also have the throat and chest rufous, as have the following (but crown grey):—g, Entebbe, Uganda, 11 May 1898, F. J. Jackson; 9, River Ubangi, Central African Republic, 22 Nov 1905, B. Alexander. To summarise, there is evidence of erythrism in the adult of C. p. fervidus and C. p. nigriscapularis, but not in C. p. pectoralis. Erythrism may be most frequent (but irregular) in nigriscapularis. The young at least of fervidus is also most usually rufous. We are grateful to I. C. J. Galbraith and D. K. Read for the loan of certain critical specimens in the British Museum (Natural History), and C. W. B. to R. Wagstaffe for examining them with him. References: Huxley, J. S. 1964. Article “Polymorphism” iz Thomson, A. L. (ed.). New Dict. Birds. London & New York: Nelson. Mackworth-Praed, C. W. & Grant, C. H. B. 1962. African Handbook of Birds. Series 2, vol. 1. London: Longmans. McLachlan, G. R. & Liversidge, R. 1970. Roberts Birds of South Africa. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. Smithe, F. B. 1975. Naturalists color guide. New York. American Museum of Natural History. Address: Department of Zoology, Downing St., Cambridge. The aberrant eggs of Turdoides plebejus in Nigeria and their relation to cooperative breeding and to victimisation by C/amator cuckoos by William Serle Received 6 November 1976 Except for Turdoides altirostris and T. zymmnogenys the eggs of the 25 species of babbler placed by Peters (1964) in the genus Turdoides have been described. They are all immaculate blue, the shade varying within the genus from bluish-white to deep turquoise. [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] 40 The Brown Babbler Turdoides plebejus is unique in that in one part of its range it lays not only blue eggs but also strikingly aberrant eggs coloured bright pink, pale pink, mauve, grey, or blue-grey. 7. plebejus is distributed in the savanna actoss the breadth of Africa from Senegal to the Red Sea Coast but so far abnormally coloured eggs have been recorded from localities within a small part only of its northern Nigerian range at Kafanchan (9° 40’ N, 8° 20’ E); Serakin Pawa (10° N, 7° E); Kaduna (10° 30’ N, 7° 28’ E); and Kano (12° N, 8° 30’ E) (Serle 1938, 1940, Shuel 1938). Normal blue eggs also occu’ in this area. TABLE 1 Colour, measurements, and shell-weight of the eggs of Turdoides plebejus Set mark Date Clutch Locality Length and breadth (mm), shell-weight and colour 37/9 Kafanchan 24°5 X 17°3, 251 mg. pink 24°6 X 17°0, 251 mg. pin 22/v/37 23°9 X 16:8, 253 mg. pink 25°O X 20°1, 452 mg. sae (Clamator) 4 37/38 Kafanchan 24°0 X 16°6, 254 mg. pink 25°5 X 16:7, 271 mg. pink ae 24°4 X 16°4, 261 m.g. pink 24°7 X 20:0, 473 mg. pink (C/amator) Cc 37/18 Kafanchan 25°7 X 17°7, 306 mgblue 26:4 X 18:3, 308 mg. blue-grey nee 25°O X 18-7, 332 mgblue-grey c/3 37/37 Kafanchan 25°O X 17°8, 256 mg. pale mauve 24°5 X 17°9, 260 mg. pale mauve ie 25°5 X 18°1, 271 mg. pale mauve c/3 37/10 Kafanchan 237 X 17°5, 276 mg. pale mauve 27°3 X 18:0 300 mg. pink 26) 24°5 X 17:8, 280 mg. pale mauve Palioe Kafanchan 24°2 X 17°0, 259 mg. pink 30/vili/37 25°O X 17°2, 272 mg. pink c/2 38/208 Serakin Pawa 24°8 X 17°8, 310 mg. pink 25°3 X 17:0, 260 mg. pink es 26°4 X 18:7, 312 mg. palest mauve 24°2 X 17°8, 306 mg. pink c/4 42/5 Abeokuta 24°O X 17°7, 248 mg. blue ats 23°5 X 17°8, 258 mg. blue c/2 42/9 Abeokuta 26°4 X 18°7, 286 mg. blue ad 26:0 X 18:8, 289 mg. blue c/2 Of the 9 Nigerian clutches (Table 1) taken by me the 2 from Abeokuta (7° 10’ N, 3° 15’ E), which lies outside the recorded range of birds laying abnormally-coloured eggs, are blue. The remaining 7 clutches are all ab- normally-coloured and of these there is in 2 clutches a very slight, and in 3 clutches a very marked, variation in colour »zthin the clutch. ‘The two clutches showing the very slight variation are pink, and in both of them the odd egg is, from its shape, grain, and shell-weight clearly a cuckoo’s egg, strong presumptive evidence suggesting that of C/amator levaillanti (Harrison 1971). It would seem likely that in this part of Nigeria 7. plebejus must have laid eggs of pink and allied shades for a very long time because adaptation of some of the eggs of the local parasitising cuckoos has, in colour at least, become neatly perfect. The 3 clutches showing marked variation in colour are all clearly babbler eggs. The odd egg in each clutch differs from the others quite distinctly in colour and also slightly in shape, measurements, and weight. That one female could lay such remarkably diverse eggs in the same clutch is biologically most improbable and it can be assumed that these clutches are the product of two females. T. plebejus, which is closely gregarious even at the breeding season, is one of the 4 Ethiopian Turdoides cited by Grimes (1976) as cooperative breeders. This series of Nigerian eggs shows that in 7. plebejus cooperation in breeding —— 41 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] is sometimes expressed by two females in a group laying eggs in a common nest. Zahavi (1974) noted similar behaviour occasionally in the Palaearctic T. squamiceps. Such behaviour in the gregarious Turdoides may be more usual than has been hitherto suspected and sets of eggs merit critical examination. Even in the absence of colour variation, differences in shape, size, and weight within the clutch could be presumptive, or strongly presumptive, evidence of cooperative breeding and of clutch sharing by females. One egg in set 37/37 and one in set 37/103 was found dented and cracked in the nest. Zahavi found that in large clutches of 7. squamiceps which were the product of more than one female some eggs were cracked and he believed that this was “‘the result of conflict between two or more females which laid in that nest”’. Lastly, in 7. p/ebejus the sexes are alike and the roles played by males and females respectively in incubation and tending the young are not known; so it is worth mentioning that the 7 incubating birds collected by me at the nest were all females. References: Grimes, L. G. 1976. The occurrence of cooperative breeding behaviour in African birds. Ostrich 47: 1-15. Harrison, C. J. O. 1971. Notes on the identification of eggs, egg mimicry and distributional history and the status of the form serratus, in the parasitic Clamator cuckoos. Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 91: 126-131. Peters, J. L. 1964. Check-list of Birds of the World, vol. 10, Cambridge, Mass.; Harvard Univ. Press. Serle, W. 1938. Nesting notes on Nigerian birds. Oo/ogists Record 18: 10-18. — 1940. Field observations on some northern Nigerian birds. /bis (14)4: 1-47. Shuel, R. S. 1938. Further notes on the eggs and nesting habits of birds in northern Nigeria (Kano Province). /bis (14)2: 463-480. Zahavi, A. 1974. Communal nesting by the Arabian Babbler. /bis 116: 84-87. Address: The Manse, Drumoak, Aberdeenshire, AB3 3HA, Scotland. Hole Nesting by Bat Falcon Fa/co rufigularis in Belize by S. G. Madge Received 15 December 1976 During a visit to Belize, Central America, in April 1976, I watched Bat Falcons Falco rufigularis (=albigularis) on a number of occasions. By day they are often easy to observe as they are then rather sedentary and tend to perch high up in dead tress. I also saw them hunting actively at dusk. On 23 Aprill spent the day in pine-ridge country, a habitat where P7nus carribaeus grows in varying densities, interspersed with open grassy areas, somewhat resembling heathland in appearance. While watching a Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus feeding young in a nest in one of the pines (this was a small bowl- shaped nest, ¢. 8 m up, resting on the fork of a small branch which it matched precisely in colour), my attention was drawn by the “‘pyoo-pyoo-pyoo”’ call of a falcon (quite similar to the alarm call of a Hobby Falco subbuteo) to a neatby tree in which two Bat Falcons were perched on a branch ¢. 10m up. These were obviously a pair and the female, which was somewhat larger (the disparity in size is quite marked in photographs which I took), was feeding on a small item of vertebrate prey, probably a small mammal as there were no feathers drifting down, while her mate perched on the same branch less than half a metre along. [Bull, B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] 42 The female paused in her feeding occasionally and peered down at me, calling angrily. When she had finished feeding she flew to a dead tree ¢. 50m away and, as I was watching her through my binoculars, she flew with rapid wing beats straight towards me. When near she closed her wings to stoop at me with great speed, passing just above my head, and then swung away to return to the dead tree. She repeated this manoeuvre several times until I moved away from the tree where she had fed, but resumed her attacks when I returned to it. I was unable to find any fledlings but noticed a hole ¢. 6 m up in the tree by which I had been standing when the bird attacked so persis- tently. When I pretended to climb the tree both birds flew at me in an attempt to drive me off. I have no doubt that the hollow in the tree trunk contained one of more young Bat Falcons. The following day Mr. M. I. Meadows, with whom I was staying, watched a Bat Falcon in another part of the forest entera holec.16 mup ina large tree where it seems very probable it was nesting. Brown & Amadon (1968) do not specify any typical nest sites for this species. Their statement that “‘nests in trees may be as high as 100 ft. or more”’ gives no indication as to whether such nests are habitually in holes or in the open, or even if they are built by the birds themselves. Pennard & Pennard (1908) state that “the nest of thin branches and twigs is built in high or low trees, but equally well in hollow trees”, but their information may have been only that from Indian hunters, and confusion with F. deiroleus is possible. Beebe (1949) describes a nest in an inset hollow shelf, overgrown at the edges with bark, where a limb had broken off a giant tree in Venezuela, and Brown & Amadon mention another nest on a crossbar of a crane 20 ft. high in a sugar factory in Guyana. No details of this site are given but it suggests nesting in an exposed rather than an enclosed situation. Haverschmidt (1968) states categorically that the species “nests in large holes (mostly old holes of the large woodpeckers of the genus Campephilus) in trees”. Ridgely (1976) is equally emphatic that in Panama they “nest in tree holes”. Acknowledgements: 1 would like to thank Professor K. H. Voous (through Dr J. F. Monk) for his helpful comments and for kindly translating the relevant passage in Pennard & Pennard, and also to thank Dr. J. F. Monk for his helpful suggestions and advice. References: Beebe, W. 1949. High Jungle. pp. 242-260. Bodley Head: London. Brown, L. H. & Amadon, D. 1968. Eagles, Hawks ¢» Falcons of the World. Country Life: London. Haverschmidt, F, 1968. Birds of Surinam. pp. 75-76. Oliver & Boyd: London. Pennard, F. P. & Pennard, A. L. 1908. De Vogels von Guyana. Paramaribo. Ridgely, R. S. 1976. A Guide to the Birds of Panama. p. 81. Princeton. Address: Firway End, George Hill, Crediton, Devon EX17 2DS. Natterer’s specimens of Sterna cantiaca from Brazil by K. Hl. Voous Received 28 December 1976 At the request of Dr. H. Sick (Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Dr. H. Schifter kindly sent me for examination eight specimens of terns collected in Brazil by the well-known Austrian collector Johann Natterer in the years 1817-1835. These birds, preserved in the Natural History Museum of Vienna, Austria, were recorded by Von Pelzeln (1871: 324) as Sterna cantiaca (=S. sandvicensis acuflavida). The point at issue was whether 43 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] these birds were North American Sandwich (“Cabot’s”) Terns S. 5. acuflavida collected while present along the Brazilian coast during their non-breeding season, or rather have to be assigned to the indigenous, but still poorly known Cayenne Tern S. eurygnatha. S. 5. acuflavida has a long black bill with small ivory-yellow tip, while in S. eurygnatha the colour of the bill is yellow. Junge & Voous (1955), and later Ansingh e¢ a/. (1960) and Voous (1968), have shown, however, that in a not inconsiderable proportion of northern South American representatives of S. eurygnatha (at present known to breed on various South Caribbean islands from Aruba in the west to Trinidad in the east) the bill has black patches of variable extent and form, and that some even have a bill coloration which is indistinguishable from that of S. 5. acuflavida. Since no other characters distinguish eurygnatha from acuflavida, they concluded that acuflavida and eurygnatha should be considered as conspecific and that the “Cayenne Tern” be known as S. sandvicensis eurygnatha. Von Pelzeln (1871: 324-325) lists specimens of “‘Sterna cantiaca” from the following localities of the Brazilian coast (translated): ‘‘“Marambaya on a sandbank March, Sapitiba off the Ilha do Pescador March, beach of Praia do Sai from a flock April, Rio do Boraxudo December, Rio de Janeiro solitary shot in the bay August, Cajutuba 1835, 12 specimens’’. Of these apparently no more than the following eight specimens are still available in the Vienna Museum :— Marambaya near Rio de Janeiro (reg. No 11, 3, 17 March 1818); Rio de Janeiro (reg. No 12, gf, 6 Aug. 1818); Rio de Boraxudo, Prov. Parana (reg. No 13, g, Dec. 1820); Cajutuba near Para, North Brazil (reg. Nos 8, 9, 2 gd; reg. Nos 7, 10, 14, 3 99, Feb.—April 1835). The coloration of the bill in these specimens varies, apparently irrespective of age and sex, between black with small yellow tip and some yellow at the gape of the lower mandible (No 7), through various stages of black with irregular yellow patches (Nos 10, 9, 14) and yellow with black patches (Nos 15, 11, 8), to predominantly yellow (No 12). Whereas No 7 could easily pass for a specimen of S. s. acuflavida, No 12 is a fine specimen of S. 5. eurygnatha. The remaining skins fall well within the limits of colour types found in breeding colonies in the Netherlands Antilles, viz. ¢. 62% yellow, 25% intermediate, 13% black (Voous 1963) and in birds collected along the Uruguayan coast (Escalante 1970). State of wear of feathers, moult of crest and primaries, and remains of juvenile plumage (at least in Nos 7, 8 and 14) conform with a breeding season in the northern spring, as was found in Brazilian populations (Rio de Janeiro—Sick & Leao 1965) and in the South Caribbean (Voous 1963). They differ in this respect from the enigmatic Argentina birds, of which so far three nesting sites have been recorded in the southern summer on the Atlantic coast between 43° and 46° 55’ S. (see Escalante 1973). Von Pelzeln’s specimens from Cajutuba, North Brazil, three of which show traces of immature plumages, could be either Brazilian breeding birds (not necessarily from this locality) or migrants from the Caribbean; they have the larger amount of black on the bills that is characteristic of the Caribbean populations at least in some years. Measurements (mm) of Natterer’s specimens agree with those from tropical South America, rather than with those from Argentina (Table 1). [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] 44 TABLEWr Measurements of Sterna sandvicensis Natterer’s specimens Northern South America* Argentina* Wing 259, 266, 273 17 bY 289°8 (283-303) 10 SP 314°1 (304-321) 278, 295 O'272, 282, 203 Billt Se 50, ¢ 53, 53 23 SE 54:0 (49-58) 10 $P 58-7 (53° 5-62) 54°5 P 650, $1°5, 52 * Voous (1968: 185) + Exposed culmen To summarize: examination of the specimens has revealed, as expected by Sick (# “it.): 1. Natterer’s specimens do not refer to the northern migrant race S. sandvicensis acuflavida, but to the indigenous tropical South American race eurygnatha; they ate not a mixed assemblage of tropical and temperate South American origin (cf. Escalante 1973). 2. Argentina specimens of S. sandvicensis stand apart in measurements and seasonality. 3. The occurrence of S. sandvicensis acuflavida, ““Cabot’s Tern’, as a wintering bird from North America on the Brazilian coast rests on the sole evidence of a bird ringed on the Mississippi coast and recovered at Rio Grande do Notte in northeastern Brazil (Sick zu “tt.). Sight records of Cabot’s Terns (e.g. Mitchell 1957: 81) have every chance of being erroneous. References: Ansingh, F. H., Koelers, H. J., van der Werf, P. A. & Voous, K. H. 1960. The breeding of the Cayenne ot Yellow-billed Sandwich Tern in Curacao i in 1958. Ardea 48: 51-65. Escalante, R. 1970. Notes on the Cayenne Tern in Uruguay. Condor 72: 89-94. — 1973. The Cayenne Tern in Brazil. Condor 75: 470-472. Junge, G. C. A. & Voous, K. H. 1955. The distribution and the relationship of Sterna eurygnatha Saunders. Ardea 43: 226-247. Mitchell, M. H. 1957. Observation on Birds of Southeastern Brazil. Univ. Toronto Press. Pelzeln, A. von. 1871. Zur Ornithologie Brasiliens. Wien. Sick, H. & Leao, A. P. A. 1965. Breeding sites of Sterna eurygnatha and other sea birds off the Brazilian coast. Auk 82: 507-508. Voous, K. H. 1963. Tern colonies in Aruba, Curacao, and Bonaire, South Caribbean Sea. Proc. XIII Intern. Ornith. Congr. (Ithaca, 1962): 1214-1216. — 1968. Geographical variation in the Cayenne Tern. Ardea 56: 184-187. Address: Maasdamlaan 28, Huizen, N.H., The Netherlands. The eggs of the Teita Falcon Falco fasciinucha by J. F. R. Colebrook- Robjent Received 22 January 1977 This note describes for the first time the eggs of Falco fasciinucha, an apganatily rare and local falcon of East and Central Africa, with a range at least as discontinuous as that of the extensive precipices which constitute its habitat. A nest site in the Songwe Gorge overlooking the Zambezi River some 5 km below the Victoria Falls in Zambia was described by Holliday (1965). The basalt cliffs here are ¢c. 135 m high and the nest site was 42 km below the top. On 27 September 1970, in the same general area, mating was observed at 0630 hrs. The male Teita Falcon flew from the rock face and alighted straight 45 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] on the back of the female, which was perched on top of a small tree on the cliff side. Copulation lasted about 20 seconds, after which the male flew off and out of sight (see Holliday for a similar description). The female remained perched for a minute or two before flying 60 m directly to a round, wind- eroded hole in the sheer cliff and entering. At 1400 hrs on 4 October, Mrs. S. Scola saw one of the falcons fly into this same nest hole and relieve the sitting bird, which immediately flew out. On 19 September 1971, a smaller wind-hole 2-5 m above the previous yeat’s site was reached by means of an electron ladder and alpine rope. Although prior to this date R. J. Dowsett had repeatedly seen a pair at this upper hole, the nest scrape was empty and still no eggs had been laid when I next inspected it on 21 October. However, T. O. Osborne was able to recover bleached and broken shells of at least two eggs from the 1970 nest, one whole enough to give an approximate measurement of 44-45 X 34:8 mm. On 7 October 1972, one of the falcons appeared briefly on the lip of the 1971 hole as a Brown Snake Eagle C7rcaetus cinereus flew past, but soon re- entered and disappeared from view. I inspected this hole on 10 October when a tight-sitting Teita Falcon flushed out almost in my face revealing four eggs. The eggs, all separated, lay in a depression on small particles of basalt in the furthest darkened corner of the 30 cm deep wind-hole. The hole was 22 cm high and 45 cm wide. Two small feathers of the falcon were with the eggs. Eggs. The 4 eggs differ somewhat in shape, one being blunt oval, two oval and one rather long oval. The ground colour is pale yellowish-buff. The markings are in the form of small spots or blotches, in two eggs rather evenly distributed over the whole surface. The spots are yellowish-brown and most are 2-4 mm in size. One is rather different in that there is a wash on the top third of the same colour as the spots. Another egg has a few small streaks of darker brown, and even fewer pale ashy shell-marks are just discernible. The foul eggs measute 45-2 X 34°5, 42°7 X 34°1, 42°5 X 34°5 and 41-9 X 34:7 mm. At another nest found by R. J. Dowsett in the Fifth Zambezi Gorge in 1975, with the aid of a powerful telescope, we were able to see eggs we knew to be freshly laid. These eggs were blotched with rather pale yellowish-brick. Like those of all other falcons, the eggs of this species show yellowish internally when held against the light. Nest. None: a mete scrape in loose rock particles. The statement in McLachlan & Liversidge (1970) that the nest is “‘. . . constructed of twigs” is erroneous. The Songwe and Fourth Gorge nest sites described by Holliday, and Dowsett’s in the Fifth Gorge, suggest that the Teita Falcon selects well sheltered sites in the form of wind-holes or deep horizontal cracks, the eggs being laid in shadow. Behaviour. The adults were aggressive while I was at the nest. After the incubating bird had left the eggs, it was joined by its mate. Then both birds flew round and repeatedly swooped to within 3 m of me before shearing off with tails spread, “kekking” loudly. Later, the pair flew up level with the top of the precipice and glided in circles above the rope party engaged in lower- ing me down the cliff, before folding wings close to the body and plunging vertically downwards to the nest area. This performance is essentially similar to the aggressive behaviour of the Peregrine F. peregrinus, which also breeds in the Zambezi River Gorges. The Teita Falcon is included by Brown & Amadon (1968) in the Peregrine Group and Prof. T. J. Cade (## Hickey 1969) suggests that its closest relative is the Barbary Falcon FP. pelegrinoides. The [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] 46 Teita Falcon and Barbary Falcon are known to share some characteristics, e.g. rufous nuchal patch; it should now be noted that both falcons lay paler eggs on average than do the northern races of the Peregrine. Acknowledgements: I am most gtateful to D. R. Aspinwall and R. J. Dowsett for advice and critcism of an early draft of this note and to Dr. J. F. Monk who made various improve- ments. R. W. Cadman, H. J. S. Calha, J. Counsell, R. J. Dowsett, T. O. & L. Osborne, C. & S. Scola and D. M. White all rendered assistance at various times. I thank the Minister of Lands, Natural Resources and Tourism for the issue of special licences. References: Brown, L. & Amadon, D. 1968. Eagles, Hawks and Falcons of the World. London: Country Life Books. Hickey, J. J. (Ed.) 1969. Peregrine Falcon Populations. University Wisconsin Press. Holliday, C. S. 1965. A note on the Teita Falcon. Puku 3: 71-73. McLachlan, G. R. & Liversidge, R. 1970. Robert's Birds of South Africa. Third edn. Trustees John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. Address: Musumanene, P.O. Box 303, Choma, Zambia. The distribution and habitat of Telacanthura ussheri benguellensis by C. W. Benson & J. M. Winterbottom Received x February 1977 In view of the forthcoming Atlas of speciation in African non-passerine birds under the editorship of Dr. D. W. Snow, attention should be drawn to certain records of the Mottled Spinetail Te/acanthura ussheri, from two particular areas. Those from the first are rejected, but those from the second are valid, and extend the known range of T. w. benguellensis (cf. Brooke 1971b). Area 1. R. J. Dowsett (pers. comm. to C. W. B.) points out that records of T. u. benguellensis in Benson et al. (1971) from the Kabompo and Balovale Districts, supported by a specimen from Kabulamena, are anomalous, the only others being from the Middle Zambezi Valley between Chirundu and Feira. The ecological contrast between these two areas is considerable, moist Brachystegia woodland (Miombo) predominating in the former, dry Mopane woodland interspersed with scattered baobab trees Adansonia digitata in the latter. Brooke (1966: 5) records a specimen of the Bat-like Spinetail Nea- frapus boehmi (as Chaetura boehmi), in the British Museum (Natural History), from Kabulamena, on the authority of C. W. B., who has re-examined it and confirms that it belongs to that species. It bears registered number 1945.18.10, and is dated 27 June 1940, collector J. M. W., who is sure that he never collected any other specimen of a spinetail at this locality. C. W. B. could find no Zambian specimen of T. assheri in the British Museum, exclusive of the one collected by Alexander (1900: 93), at Zumbo, Mozambique, on the south side of the Zambezi River, opposite Feira. The original published source of records of 7. ussheri from the Kabompo and Balovale Districts is Winterbottom (1942: 360), in which the date of the Kabulamena specimen is given incidentally as 28 June (not 27 June as above). It is clear that there was a misidentification of a specimen of NV. boehmi. Evidently this arose from a letter dated 4 February 1941 from Dr. A. Roberts to J. M. W. (Roberts 1943). He could not have had a specimen of T°. ussheri for comparison. The species is not illustrated in Roberts (1940), and in the — -_ oe 47 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] text there is a comment on 7. assheri (as T. stictilaema) “Similar in colour to Notafrapus sheppardi, though the lores are said to be white, but the tail considerably longer’’ (LV. sheppard: is treated by Brooke, 1966: 6, as a race of Neafrapus boehmi). By contrast with T. ussheri, N. boehmi is well known in northern Zambia. In particular, White (1945: 343) saw it in large numbers in the Balovale District, but only quotes Winterbottom’s records of 7. ussheri from the same general area, although he (1944: 145) had seen assheri earlier, at the Kafue/Zambezi confluence and Feira. Area 2. Benson & Benson (1975: 10) give sight-records by L. Holloway, Mrs. D. B. Hanmer and E. F. J. Garcia of T. ussheri from around baobabs in the Mwabvi and Lengwe areas, lower Shire Valley, the first records of any kind of the species from Malawi. While investigating the problem of the Kabulamena specimen, C. W. B. found a recently incorporated specimen of ussheri, from the large collections made by Col. R. Meinertzhagen, bequeathed on his death to the British Museum (Natural History). It bears registered number 1965.M.5 448, and is labelled “‘g, Port Herald, Nyasaland, 13.9.08”. The locality can now read “Nsanje, Malawi”. The specimen was collected by Meinertzhagen during a two-month collecting trip to southern Malawi in Sept./Nov. 1908, of which no published account appears to exist. C. W. B. and D. Goodwin found that it agreed in colour with T. w. benguellensis rather than 7. 4. stictilaema. Moreover the wing-length was as much as 149 mm (cf. Brooke 1971b). C. W. B. showed the foregoing to R. K. Brooke, who has prompted the following comments, for which C. W. B. is nevertheless solely responsible. It is evident from Brooke (19714, b) that 7. ussheri as a whole is catholic in habitat, occurring both in areas of evergreen forest and dry deciduous woodland, and nesting and roosting in hollows in trees, even adapting to buildings. However, in the extreme south of its range T. 4. benguellensis may be confined to dry deciduous woodland, finding nesting and roosting sites only in baobabs. The gap in its range between southwestern Angola (at Blaasbalkfontein, Benguela, at ¢. 13° S, 14° E, and Montipa=Mantipa, Mocamedes, 14° 39’ S, 13° 14’ E) and, from area 1 above, the Zambezi Valley at c. 29° E, may be more apparent than real. The species can escape notice very easily. There could be a rather tenuous connection south of the moist woodland belt, through southern Angola and northern Botswana, in the drier vegetation types 20 and 22, in which baobabs are present (Keay 1959). As suggested by M. P. Stuart Irwin (pers. comm.), such a connection could be analogous to the case of the more easily observed Long-tailed Starling Lamprotornis mevesii (cf. Hall & Moreau 1970: 358). The connection could have been better developed in a drier epoch. Thus although Livingstone (1975: 273) suggests that there was a major change in climate in tropical Africa some 10,000 years ago, to more humid conditions, inter alia he also points out that there was a gradual drying out between 5,000 and 3,000 years ago, to conditions somewhat more arid than to-day. Alternatively, a speciali- sation of benguellensis to baobabs may be relatively recent, and its occurrence at Cassoalla and Vila Salazar in the Cuanza Norte area of northern Angola (Brooke 1971b, Traylor 1963) at c. 9° S, 14° 30’ E might suggest that in this area it can still survive in a moister climate in which baobabs would be absent. From Keay (1959), Cuanza Norte lies in an isolated area of moist forest (vegetation type 7), although admittedly adjacent to type 20, already cited as holding baobabs. It is interesting that although Brooke (19714) gives [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] 48 vatious records of the species breeding in buildings, there is no evidence of this for benguellensis. Although, buildings apart, he only mentions specifically use of hollows in baobabs for the species as a whole, other kinds of trees must be used in areas where baobabs are absent. Thus Moreau & Moreau (1937: 169) record stictilaema entering holes in a dead Ocotea tree at Amani in the humid East Usambara Mts. Brooke (pers. comm.) remarks that few species of swifts have their distribution governed by that of vegetation, but rather by the availability of nesting sites and lack of a competitor with the same wing loading exploiting the food supply of the same airspace in the same way. The African Palm Swift Cypsiurus parvus is well known to be largely dependent on palms for breeding, and T. w. benguellensis may provide an analogy in its dependence on baobabs. References: Alexander, B. 1900. An ornithological expedition to the Zambesi River (second part). Ibis 7(6): 7o-109. Benson, C. W. & Benson, F. M. 1975. Studies in some Malawi birds. Arnoldia (Rhod.) 7(32). Benson, C. W., Brooke, R. K., Dowsett, R. J. & Irwin, M. P. S. 1971. The Birds of Zambia. London: Collins. Brooke, R. K. 1966. The Bat-like Spinetail Chaetura boehmi Schalow (Aves). Arnoldia (Rhod.) 2(29). — 19714. Breeding of swifts in Ethiopian Africa and adjacent islands. Ostrich 42: 5-36. — iba The eastern and southern populations of the Mottled Spinetail. Bul/. Brit. Orn. Ci. 91: 134-135. Hall, B. P. & Moreau, R. E. 1970. An Aftlas of Speciation in African Passerine Birds. Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist.). Keay, R. W. J. (Ed.). 1959. Vegetation Map of Africa south of the Tropic of Cancer. London: Oxford Univ. Press. Livingstone, D. A. 1975. Late quaternary climatic changes in Africa. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 6: 249-280. Moreau, R. E. & Moreau, W. M. aye Biological and other notes on some East African birds. Ibis 14(1): 152-174, 321-34 Roberts, A. 1940. The Birds of South Paihia: London: H. F. & G. Witherby. — 1943. A contribution to the ornithology of Barotseland. [bis 85: 107. Traylor, M. A. 1963. Check-list of Angolan Birds. Publ. Cult. Comp. Diamant. Angola 61. White, C. M. N. 1944. Miscellaneous notes on Northern Rhodesian birds. [bis 86: 139-150. — 1945. The ornithology of the Kaonde-Lunda Province, Northern Rhodesia (part II). Ibis 87: 309-345. Winterbottom, J. M. 1942. A contribution to the ornithology of Barotseland. Jbis 14(6): 337-389. Addresses: C. W. Benson, Dept. of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ. Prof. J. M. Winterbottom, 9 Alexandra Avenue, Oranjezicht, Cape Town 8001, R.S.A. Juvenile plumages of Cuculus canorus and Cuculus gularis in Aftica by Robert B. Payne Received 9 March 1977 Juveniles of the migrant Palaearctic Cuckoo Cuculus canorus and the African Cuckoo C. gu/aris occur together much of the year in the African region, canorus as a wintering migrant and gu/aris as a resident (perhaps with intra- African migrations). In discussing their distinguishing characters, I follow Chapin (1939) in regarding Cuculus gularis as specifically distinct from Cwuculus canorus, a 49 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] decision compatible with the consistent and conspicuous difference in song of the two forms throughout the range of each. The abrupt discontinuity in behaviour (Chappuis 1974) coincides with the abrupt discontinuity in bill colour and plumage of the adults as well as with a discontinuity in juvenile plumage, indicating that the two allopatric forms are probably distinct at the species level. Adults are readily distinguished by the yellow bill in gw/aris, black in canorus, and by the white barred outer rectrices of gu/aris, compared with those of canorus, which are unbarred or barred with rufous-brown. The juvenile (post-fledging, pre-winter moult) plumage is less well known. Juvenile gu/aris have black bills, and the barring of the rectrices is distinctive only in the adult plumage. Chapin (1939) and Friedmann (1948) state that juvenile gu/aris is more grey, and Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1970) add that gu/aris is distinctive in its white barring above and in lacking bars on the outer webs of the primaries. However, I do not know of a description that discusses how the juveniles they describe were originally identified as to age or species. As the western Palaearctic cuckoos winter in Africa, both kinds of birds may occur in juvenile plumage in the same range for part of the year. Juvenile C. gw/aris in museum collections of cuckoos taken in Africa were examined and identified by three criteria (see Table 1). First, four birds (1-4) are known to be local gu/aris as they were taken in a nest or with the juvenile plumage not yet fully developed. In one (No. 4) the plumage was nearly fully grown and the bill colour was already yellowish, with the lower TABLE 1 Specimens of juvenile Cuculus gularis Bill Cat. No. Locality Date Sex Wing Tail Width* Notes 1. JC-R 2374 Ringwood, Choma, 31/10/75 Qs 14 tgpt 821 — nestling Zambia 2z- AMNH 624941 Eil Huma, Somalia 16/4/20 o x67 98! 7°4 local bird 3. BM(NH) 1907 Salisbury, Rhodesia 13/11/98 =) ry" 146% 7°8 local bird 12.22.60 4. AMNH 704577. Okahandja, SW Africa 30/12/52 So 185? 168 1°S local bird 5- NMR 33531 Mumbwa district, 17/12/57 Oat 178 8°1 moulting Zambia 6. NMR 29817 Kalulushi, Zambia 1/12/56 - 216 178 8-2 moulting 7. FMNH 268847 Kalabo, Barotseland, 22/11/61 ae O22 167 8-0 mostly adult plumage Zambia 8. NMR 49286 Kaluwa Hill, Zambia 1/1/59 3d 200 176 8-3 9. NMR 14082 Nyamandhlovu, 1/9/54 3d 214 172 6-88 worn, moulting Rhodesia to. FMNH 269650 Sangmelima, Cameroon 10/5/33 ar 204 158 8-4 moulting 11. FMNH 281586 M’Bengue Bougou, 27/3/67 Q 208 168 83 moulting, mostly adult Ivory Coast plumage, “OE” 12. AMNH 625039 Cambo Coquenje, 28/10/04 Se lO7 164 7°8 Bihe, Angola 13. AMNH 625041 ‘Pedrira, Bihe, 13/11/04 a ¥2i2 170 8:5 Angola 14. AMNH 625044 Chissamba, Bihe, 19/11/04 O 4.210 168 8-1 Angola 15. AMNH 625031 Humpata, Angola 28/12/o1 GP 224 168 8:1 16. NMR 11427 Chilanga, Zambia 19/12/50 GP 210 179 8-2 17. ANSP 166404 Lundazi, Zambia “4/6/46” OL +283 - - 18. BM(NH) 1906 Entebbe, Uganda — - 198 167 8-3 12.11.14 19. BM(NH) 1904. Mulema, Uganda — 2oyezoa 172 77 10.23.87 20. CM 118405 Nyamezon, Bafia, 16/4/34 Q 206 168 - Cameroon 21. BM(NH) 1889 “Gambia” — GO wer 177 8+4 6.29.125 1Feathers still growing 2Distance (mm) across tomia below mid-point of nostrils SBill damaged by shot For abbreviations used in the Catalogue numbers column see Acknowledgements [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] 50 mandible blackish only at the tip. Second, several cuckoos (5—7, 10, 11) had begun the postjuvenile moult and had grown the definitive adult rectrices and the basal half of the lower mandible had turned yellow. In this case the adult characters were sufficient to make identification of the remaining juvenile plumage characters possible. Third, some specimens (8, 9, 12-21) had the bill half yellow but had not yet begun to moult from juvenile into adult plumage or had only just begun to moult. These birds were sometimes a problem to identify as the bill colour of the bird when collected was not indicated on the label and the bill colour had probably changed in museum storage. In these cases, for identification the date of collection was checked against known dates of local breeding gu/aris and dates of visiting canorus. In southern Africa the breeding season of gu/aris is October-December: so full grown, 2-3 month old ga/aris that had not yet started moult might occur in November and December, a time when similar aged Palaearctic birds also would be present in juvenile plumage. Some specimens also might have been migrants from other ateas of Africa since both cuckoos are seasonal in occurrence in some parts of Africa (Friedmann 1948). Juvenile C. canorus were examined from Europe, Russia, China, Japan, and India as well as from Africa. Birds in the breeding range of canorus in Europe were the main known-identity birds of the study. Moulting African birds with some definitive adult plumage (particularly birds with rufous bars, the “hepatic” phase, which occurs in Palaearctic and Indian birds but not in African birds) and other identifiable dark-billed African juveniles were also used as known-identity canorus. Measurements of Indian birds are excluded from the data cited below, but colours are included. Plumage characters which varied between known juvenile gwlaris and known juvenile canorus were the general plumage colour, particularly brown or rufous vs. whitish or grey in the primaries and wing coverts; the barring on the tip of the crown feathers; and the size and shape of white spots in the tail. The general plumage colour of all gularis was grey and all canorus was rufous or brown. No gw/aris was browner than the least brown canorus. C’.. gularis were all “brownish grey” or “grey” with Methuen (Kornerup & Wanscher 1967) colours 5C1, 5Cz (nearly all birds), or 5C3 (No. 12); whereas C. canorus ranged from “reddish-blond” or “‘brownish orange” (colours 5C4-6) to “reddish golden” or ““brownish orange” (colours 6C7-8). The pale spots and bars on the remiges and wing coverts in all the juvenile gu/aris were brownish grey or grey and not brownish, though two gw/aris were stained with brown- ish orange on the upperparts. Brown or rufous colour is apparent in juvenile European canorus, and also in populations identified as C. c. subtelephonus and C. ¢. telephonus in the trans-Caspian region, India, China and Japan, and one should be able to distinguish C’. canorus from C. gularis in Africa from all these population areas, should they migrate to Africa. The drak crown feathers are differingly tipped with white in the two species. Both often have zmm-wide basal areas of white on the feathers (visible if the overlying feathers are lifted) and both have some entirely white feathers, especially on the nape. In the dark crown feathers, width of the whitish tip in gularis ranged from 1-0 to 1:8 mm (mean of 15 = 1:20-++0-23 mm SD). Two young gularis (9, 10, identified by lack of brown in the plumage and by the yellow of the bill) not included in these figures, lacked any whitish tips; the plumage was quite worn, and they were both moulting. In canorus, on the 51 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] other hand, the tip is only narrowly edged with white or buff, with a range of o to o-8 mm (mean of 43 = 0-44-++0:61 mm). In some young canorus there is no pale tip as a result of wear. Four canorus had a tip wider than 0-6 mm, one each from Britain, China, Zambia (NMR 46371—see Acknowledgements), and Sudan (ANSP 104223). The last two were identified as canorus by their fresh or slightly-worn brownish plumage; the dates are compatible with migrant canorus (December and September). The primaries. White or buffy bars occur on the outer edges of the primaries in all juvenile canorus, but white notches or bars also occur in 9 of the 21 juvenile gu/aris. The inner webs are barted in both cuckoos. The tips of the primaries are broadly edged with white in gu/aris but also in some canorus. The scapulars and back feathers of gu/aris are often broadly edged with white, as Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1970) note, but some canorus ate as broadly edged with white. The spots on the tail are broader in gularis. The third spot (from the tip) of the central rectrix measures 0:8 mm in one gu/aris (No. 19) but in all the others (including the Uganda bird) measures 2-0-3-0 mm (mean of 19 = 2°34-+0:54 mm) measured at right angles to the edge of the rachis. In canorus the spot measures 0-5 to 2:2 mm (mean of 47 = 1°35--0-56 mm). Of the 47 measured, 8 canorus had a spot of 2-0 mm or wider. The widest, FMNH 262843, taken in Barotseland, Zambia, on 28 October 1961, was listed by Traylor (1965) as gu/aris, but he noted that it ““may be nominate canorus, for the yellow on the bill is less extensive than in the adult’. The yellow in fact is restricted to the gonys, the lateral rami of the lower mandible ate blackish, the plumage quite dark above with many brownish bars. I regard the bird as a canorus with a slightly unusual bill. Most other canorus with wide tail spots were taken in Europe. The most rufous specimens tend to have the narrowest white tail spots. The barring pattern below is not consistently different in the two species, though most gw/aris have a paler throat than most canorus, in which the throat is often darker than the belly. Measurements of representative black bars on the throat of 17 gu/aris average 1-17--0-36 mm and black bars on the belly average 1:23-0:61 mm. Comparable figures for 47 canorus are 1-69--0-:76 mm and 1:47-+0-47 mm. The measurements indicate considerable overlap with no significant difference between the two cuckoos. Comparable measure- ments of the white bars separating the black bars likewise overlap and are not included as they vary with the preparation of the museum skins. No consistent difference is apparent in barring of the under tail coverts. Other measurements taken showed no consistent ot significant differences between gu/aris and canorus, including wing length, tail length, and bill length from nostril and from base of the culmen. Bill width. Adult gularis tend to have broader bills than canorus (Benson e¢ al. 1971, M. P. S. Irwin). Bill widths were determined for juveniles by measur- ing with calipers across the width of the tomia at a level directly below the midpoint of the nostrils. Including only those birds in which the remiges and rectrices were fully grown, bill width in 19 gw/aris averaged 8-04--0- 388 mm, range 7-4-8-4 mm; and in 33 canorus averaged 7-25--0-363 mm, range 6-5—7-8 mm. In one gw/aris (No. 9, excluded from above) from Rhodesia, the bill width was only 6-8 mm, but was damaged by shot. Bill widths of juvenile gularis are nearly all larger than bill widths of juvenile canorus. A few specimens in addition to those mentioned above presented problems [Bull,. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] 52 in identification or deserve further comment. (1). NMR 14082 (No. 9) has the smallest tail spots, has traces of primary bars, and has the narrowest bill of any bird identified as gu/aris, but the bill is damaged by shot and the measurement may be unreliable. Crown bars are lacking due to wear. The grey plumage is worn and moult is in progress, and the date (“1-9” = 1 September) seems too early for a migrant Palaearctic bird. The date also seems wrong for a local southern African bird as gu/aris is found only from September to March—May (Benson ¢é¢ a/. 1971); perhaps the specimen is a migrant from a breeding population in Africa well north of Rhodesia, as suggested to me by M. P. S. Irwin. The collector described the bill as “slate above, orange below, fading toslate at tip,” indicating that the bird is gu/aris. (2). BM(NH) 1904.10.23.87 (No. 20) is washed with rufous on the throat and upper breast and has white barring on the outer webs of the primaries, though less than in any canorus in the sample. The white spots of the central rectrices are small (0-8 mm). Characters suggesting gu/aris ate the lack of brown elsewhere in the plumage, bioad white tips to dark crown feathers (terminal crown bars), and the yellow basal half of the bill. Date (early May) does not rule out canorus. I regard it as gularis. (3). UMMZ 216722 from Transvaal has all the characteristics described above of canorus; the identi- fication was queried by Moreau (1972: 184) and the query led to the present note. (4). NMNH 335008, Lake Albert, Butiaba, Uganda, 13 November 1900, listed (as 1901) by Jackson (1938: 485) as gu/aris, is heavily barred with rufous and dark brown, has the head plumage like that of Palaearctic birds, and has a black bill. I regard it as canorus. (5). BM(NH) 1935. 7.9.143 and 144, both Gd collected at Torit, Sudan, on 13 November 1935, are in worn plumage with some tan (Methuen 5 C4) in the barring of the primaries. F. O. Cave noted the bill colour of the first bird as “‘black, but greenish below, and yellow at the gape”, and the second “black, lower mandible yellowish”, though it looks mostly dark now. The first has a bill width of 7-5 mm and the whitish tips of the crown feathers are nearly 0-6 mm, but these may have been abraded. The second has a bill width of 7-3 mm and only a trace of crown bars. The worn state of plumage seems compatible with that expected of a Palaearctic migrant by mid-Novembet1, and I tentatively regard the birds as canorus. (6). FMNH 193430 is a canorus taken in Kenya on 6 June 1922, a month when canorus normally would have been in the Palaearctic. The bird is a 2 with several retained, brown-barred juvenile remiges, very worn, but otherwise is in adult plumage typical of canorus. No feathers are actively growing. The arrested state of moult suggests that the bird was in poor condition and unable to complete the moult or to migrate. No other juvenile canorus was noted from Africa after early May. (7). BM(NH) 1915.12.24.465 is a juvenile C’.. canorus taken on 26 July 1911 at Khattoum. The plumage is fresh. The date suggests an unusually early migration from the Palaearctic breeding grounds. Cuckoos in Britain breed as early as 11 May (Chance 1940) and with 12 days for incubation, 20 days to fledging and as much as another month to independence the cuckoo would still have had time to migrate to Sudan; but no other juvenile canorus was noted from Africa before September. In summary, juvenile C. gw/aris differ consistently or nearly so from juvenile C. canorus in plumage colour (browns lacking in gu/aris), in bill width and in having the dark crown feathers broadly tipped with at least 1 mm of white in fresh plumage. There is some overlap in pale marks on the edge of the primaries, size of the tail spots, barring on the mantle and the ee 53 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] barring of the underparts. Comparison of juvenile C. canorus from Europe, central Asia, India, China and Japan indicates no consistent difference in plumage among specimens from these areas except that the (few) central Asian birds were paler. I have therefore not attempted to identify subspecies of C. canorus wintering in Africa. Acknowledgements: For access to specimens I thank F. B. Gill (Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia—ANSP), W. E. Lanyon (American Museum of Natural History— AMNH), D. W. Snow (British Museum [Natural History]}—BM[NH]), M. H. Clench (Carnegie Museum—CM), M. A. Traylor (Field Museum of Natural History—FMNH), K. E. Stager (Los Angeles County Museum), G. R. Cunningham-van Someren (National Museum of Kenya), R. L. Zusi (U.S. National Museum of Natural History— NMNBH), M. P. S. Irwin (National Museum of Rhodesia—NMR), and J. F. R. Colebrook- Robjent (personal collection—J.C-R). References: Benson, C. W., Brooke, R. K., Dowsett, R. J. & Irwin, M. P. S. 1971. The Birds of Zambia. London: Collins. Chance, E. P. 1940. The Truth about the Cuckoo. London: Country Life. Chapin, J. P. 1939. The Birds of the Belgian Congo, part II. Bu//. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist.75. Chappuis, C. 1974. Les oiseaux de Ouest Africain. Alauda Suppl. Sonore, Disque no. 1. Friedmann, H. 1948. The Parasitic Cuckoos of Africa. Washington, D.C.: Washington Acad. Sci. Jackson, F. J. 1938. The Birds of Kenya Colony and the Uganda Protectorate. Vol. 1. London: Gurney and Jackson. Kornerup, A. & Wanscher, J. H. 1967 Methuen Handbook of Colour. London: Methuen. Mackworth-Praed, C. W. & Grant, C. H. B. 1970. Birds of West Central and Western Africa, Vol. 1. London: Longmans. Moreau, R. E. 1972. The Palaearctic-African Bird Migration Systems. London: Academic Press. Traylor, M. A. 1965. A collection of birds from Barotseland and Bechuanaland. /bis 107: 137-172. Address: Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, U.S.A. Confirmation of the occurrence of the Egyptian Nightjar Caprimulgus aeg yptius aeg yptius in Ethiopia by R. W. Ashford & R. S. Bray Received 1 February 1977 Urban & Brown (1971) mention the Egyptian Nightjar Caprimulgus aegyptius as having been included by Smith (1957) in his checklist of the birds of Eritrea, on the basis of records by Moltoni & Ruscone (1940). These records have been ignored by Mackworth-Praed and Grant (1957) and White (1965). In the collection of the British Museum is one specimen labelled Abyssinia, but this is very old, and even the area of the collection from which it comes is doubtful. Clearly this species has rarely been recorded in Ethiopia, and is not known from south of Eritrea. On 30 January 1971 whilst catching birds for serum samples in light acacia woodland at Lake Koka (8° 26’ N, 39° o1’ E) in Shoa Province, Ethiopia, a nightjar which subsequently proved to be of this species was collected. The identification was confirmed by Mr. D. Goodwin, at the British Museum, as the nominate race C. a. aegyptins. Dr. J. S. Ash (pers. comm.), who has worked in this area at different times of the year, states that he has only recorded two species of nightjar there, the Plain Nightjar C. znornatus (one example) and the Slender-tailed Nightjar [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] 54 C. clarus which is very common and breeds. The area is inhabited by a large number and variety of Palaearctic migrants. This record confirms the occurrences of the Egyptian Nightjar in central Ethiopia, and considerably extends its known wintering range. Thanks are due to Dr. J. S. Ash of N.A.M.R.U. 5, Addis Ababa for his comments, and for having the skin, which remains with him, prepared, and to the staff of the British Museum for their assistance in identification. References: Mackworth-Praed, C. W. & Grant, C. H. B. 1957. Birds of Eastern and North Eastern Africa, Vol. 1. London. Moltoni, E, & Ruscone, G. 1940. Gh Uccelli dell’ Africa Orientale Italiana. Vol. 1. Milano. Smith, K. D. 1957. An annotated checklist of the birds of Eritrea. Zbis 99: 1-26. Urban, E. K. & Brown, L. H. 1971. A Checklist of the Birds of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa. White, C. M. N. 1965. A Revised Checklist of African Non-Passerine Birds. Lusaka. Addresses: Wellcome Parasitology Unit 2, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Present address: (R. W. Ashford), Dept. of Pathology, U.P.N.G., P.O. Box 5623, Boroko, Papua New Guinea. First African records of two Malagasy sea-birds by Peter L. Britton Received 4 February 1977 Despite the proximity of some Indian Ocean (Malagasy) islands to the East African coast, there is little evidence that their breeding sea-birds reach mainland Africa, where frigatebirds (Fregatidae), tropicbirds (Phaethontidae) and other characteristic Malagasy breeding sea-birds are rare or unknown. This note reports the occurrence of two such species near Mombasa, Kenya, during the 1976 southeast monsoon (April-November). Lesser Noddy -Azous tenuirostris A flock of varying size (110-220) was seen almost daily at Ras Iwetine (4° o1’ S, 39° 44’ E), 25 August—28 September 1976, settling on or near a fish trap of vertical mangrove poles at high tide, and settling on the outer reef when it was exposed. A single bird was present on 2 December. With the assistance of R. Haller, a sub-adult male with moulting primaries, stomach empty, was collected for the National Museum, Nairobi, on 31 August, weighing 97:4 g, wing-length 220 mm. An emanciated, recently dead sub-adult, stomach empty, weight 60 g, wing-length 209 mm, was found (wings retained) on the top of Kisite Island (4° 44’ S, 39° 24’ E) on 10 December 1976, when at least 20 were present on the island’s sand beach; none had been present there on 4 September or 10 October. P. Hemphill, of the nearby Pemba Channel Fishing Club, reliably noted them at sea regularly between September and December 1976 in similar numbers (dozens) to the Brown Noddy A. stol/idus, though he has fished these waters as much as six days a week for many years and has not pieviously noted noddies of two sizes. A further reliable report of senuirostris is of at least 50 seen by R. Haller at Ziwayu Island (2° 36’ S, 40° 35’ E) on 27 October 1976, from a dhow which Haller with others sailed from Mtwapa (3° 57’ S.) to Kiwaiyu (1° 59’ S.) over a three week period, during which they sighted s/o/idus regularly, including ee —s _ 55 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] as many as 1000 at Tenewe Island (2° 27’ S, 40° 47’ E), but no other #enwiros- tris. Small numbers of s/o/idus breed on the north Kenya coast (Britton & Brown 1974), and it is regularly reported by anglers at sea, but there are few inshore records (Britton & Britton 1976). It was, however, widespread in scores or hundreds on the north Kenya coast in August and September 1976 (L. H. Brown, W. J. Plumb). The rather brown sub-adult senwirostris was not easy to recognise when alone, but readily recognisable when seen alongside the larger s/o/idus. With the assistance of the curator, the Ras Iwetine specimen has been compared with seven National Museum specimens of A. ¢. senuirostris, collected by Parker (1970) in the Amirantes, 1500 km east of Kenya and the nearest breeding station (Bailey 1968). This specimen and other Kenya birds have the characteristic head pattern of nominate /enuirostris, which is confined to the western Indian Ocean where it is mainly sedentary around breeding sites (Bailey 1968). Though Ashmole (1962), White (1965) and others con- sider the White-capped Noddy A. minutus of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans conspecific with A. /enuirostris, under the latter name, I prefer to follow Murphy (1936), Alexander (1963) and Serventy ef a/. (1971) in retaining them as two distinct species, for the reasons given by the last authors. White (1965) lists ‘enuirostris for Africa, referring to A. minutus atlanticus in West Africa, but there is no previous record of Indian Ocean tenuirostris in African waters. In 208 days of observations in the western Indian Ocean, Bailey (1968) recorded this species only four times, all around 58° E, at most 320 km from a known nesting site, so that its occurrence in African waters should be considered exceptional. If wind-blown by the southeast monsoon, Kenyan birds may well have originated from Mauritius or Cargados Carajos, 3000 km to the southeast, rather than the geographically closer Amirantes. Red-footed Booby Sw/a sula An immature bird, accidentally hooked on a lure by R. S. Richards while fishing 8 km off Kilifi at 3° 37’ S, 39° 56’ E on 24 October 1976, is still alive at Birdland, Malindi, in the care of Mr. & Mrs. B. M. B. Glover who have kindly let me examine it on several occasions. It was successfully released by Richards three times, flying strongly from the roof of his boat to take the lure again, but it would not fly a fourth time. Its extreme tameness led Richards to believe that it might have been a pet aboard a ship, though it is seldom at ease in the presence of unfamiliar people at Birdland. When first seen on 21 November it was brown all over but by 15 January 1977 it had white feathers on the lesser coverts of both wings and on the forecrown. With measurements (mm) of 363 (wing), 84 (bill) and 36 (tarsus) it is too small for other Su/a species (Alexander 1963, Serventy ef a/. 1971). The tail is broken but tail feathers are narrow, as described by Murphy (1936), maxi- mum width 26 mm. Legs and feet are pink, irides beige with some dark brown spots, bill blackish and facial skin blue. The bare skin on the throat was black in November but blue in January. According to White (1965) there is no satisfactory record from African coastal waters. A record from Port Sudan on 7 November 1920 (Ticehurst 1924) is included by Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1952) and Meinertzhagen (1954), but it is based on only a wing retained for Ticehurst by the keeper of the Sanganeb Light, with no details of plumage or measurements, and it is [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] 56 not included in the avifauna of Sudan by Cave & Macdonald (1955). Bailey (1968) saw fair numbers of both adults and immatures between the Seychelles and Hast Africa in September and October, though most of his records were neai breeding stations to the north and east of Madagascar. Away from Latham Island, Tanzania, where both S. /eucogaster and S. dactylatra breed (Parker 1970), boobies are uncommon in East Africa. I know of no inshore records in Kenya, where most reports are the casual observations of anglers who cannot be expected to identify the immature birds which form the majority of sightings. All western Indian Ocean nesting sites lie to the southeast of Kenya, so that wandering immatures may reach East African waters regularly during the southeast monsoon. References: Alexander, W. B. 1963. Birds of the Ocean (2nd ed.). New York: Putnam. Ashmole, N. P. 1962. The Black Noddy Axous tenuirostris on Ascension Island. Part 1. General Biology. [bis 103b: 235-273. Bailey, R. S. 1968. The pelagic distribution of sea-birds of the western Indian Ocean. Ibis TIO: 493-519. Britton, P. & Britton, H. 1976. Records Section (Birds). E. Afr. nat. Hist, Soc. Bull. 1976: 52-61. Britton, P. L. & Brown, L. H. 1974. The status and breeding behaviour of East African Lari. Ostrich 45: 63-82. Cave, F. O. & Macdonald, J. D. 1955. Birds of the Sudan. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd. Mackworth-Praed, C. W. & Grant, C. H. B. 1952. Birds of Eastern and North Eastern Africa. Vol. 1. London: Longmans, Green & Co. Meinertzhagen, R. 1954. Birds of Arabia. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd. Murphy, R. C. 1936. Oceanic Birds of South America. New York: Am. Mus. nat. Hist. Parker, I. $. C. 1970. Some ornithological observations from the western Indian Ocean Atoll Res. Bull. 136: 211-220. Serventy, D. L., Serventy, V. & Warham, J. 1971. The Handbook of Australian Sea-birds. Sydney: Reed. Ticehurst, C. B. 1924. Birds from the Red Sea lights. /bis (11)6: 282-283. White, C. M. N. 1965. A Revised Check List of African Non-Passerine Birds. Lusaka: Govt. Printer. Address: Box 90163, Mombasa, Kenya. First known breeding of the Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea south of the Sahara by ys. AASo Received 12 February 1977 In April 1975, accompanied by my wife and daughter, I travelled over the Saneti Plateau in the Bale Mountains of southern Ethiopia. This is a remote and beautiful area lying between 3800 and 4377 m, averaging about 4140 m (Waltermire 1975). Typically the vegetation is afro-alpine between these altitudes, and in this area is above the Erica arborea zone. ‘There are many small tarns, most of which do not seem to have been mapped, scattered about the plateau, but many are grouped around 6°51’N, 39°49’E (the latest map names this mountain Sante Ye’Terara Ch’ae). Many of the tarns held a pair of Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea, which were apparently fairly common in the area, most of them paired or single. On the larger lake of some 75 hectares, which I shall call Lake Deemtu (3890 m), there were at least 52 ducks present on 6 April. Such large numbers 57 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] of this species are quite unprecedented in Ethiopia (see below), and the date is late for Palaearctic migrants: breeding seemed pcssible, and although the birds’ behaviour — the attachment of pairs to particular restricted areas and their vociferous reaction to our arrival — gave support to this, we were unable to obtain any direct evidence. Dr. S. J. Tyler visited the area 3 weeks later in May 1975, and especially looked for signs of breeding. She did not reach Lake Deemtu, but found many pairs on some of the smaller tarns, and recorded behaviour similar to that we had seen a month earlier (Anon 1975). Mr. T. Fison, a non- ornithologist, trekked over the area on mule-back a year later in May 1976. Following my description of the birds, he made a point of looking out for them, and recorded about 7 pairs on the tarns he passed; he did not visit Lake Deemtu. I revisited the area, 21-23 June 1976, with my wife and Dr. and Mrs. V. H. Lee. We found 4 pairs and 3 single birds on about ten of the smaller tarns we examined, but we put our main effort into reaching Lake Deemtu, which can be reached from a high point to the east in about an hour’s walk on a compass bearing. On 22 June there were at least 46 adult Ruddy Shel- duck present, mostly in ones, twos and threes, and with them three broods of young. The oldest brood consisted of two ducklings judged to be 3-4 weeks old, the next had five young about 2 weeks old, and the third had ten young 7-10 days old. On our approaching a brood, the adult — we never saw more than one adult with a brood — promptly abandoned its young and flew off for a considerable distance without showing undue distress. When we left the lake after about an hour both the larger broods could be seen, each with an attendant parent. Lake Deemtu is roughly circular, about a kilometre in diameter, but with a small southerly extension. There are several small rocky islets, two of which have some vegetation including several Giant Lobelias Lobelia rhyncopetalum, and at the northwest edge a stretch of stone cliffs reaching to about 45 m. All the smaller tarns seem to lack the islets and cliffs, although one other, apparently named Garba Guracha, at about 6°53’N, 39°52’E, visited by Fison, and with duck on it, was surrounded by stone cliffs on three sides. On my first visit, 6 April 1975, there were large numbers of waterfowl and wetland birds of 17 species on Lake Deemtu, as well as 12 characteristic landbird species in the immediate area, and at a slightly lower altitude 7 additional species (see Appendix). The list includes, astonishingly, over half of Ethiopia’s endemic species of birds in this small area, and in addition there are several particularly interesting endemic mammals such as the Simien Fox Canis simensis and Mountain Nyala Tragelaphus buxtoni. It is therefore gratifying that the Saneti Plateau is included in the proposed Bale Mountains National Park. Urban & Brown (1971) describe Ruddy Shelducks as Palaearctic migrants Sep—Mar, throughout the country at above 2000 m, uncommon to rare on larger freshwater lakes and rivers, alkaline lakes and highland streams and marshes up to 3700 m. They further classify this montane habitat as: a) Giant Lobelia — Alchemilla — tussock grass moorland, at 3800-4100 m, and b) Giant heath (Erica) moorland at 3500-3800 m. The birds we saw on the Saneti Plateau were all above 3800 m, but we described the habitat as open He//- chrysum scrub with Giant Lobelia patches, i.e., the “paramo belt” of Lind & [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] 58 Morrison (1974). Moreau (1972) states that this shelduck is resident in southern Spain and the Maghreb, but that in its main range from the Aegean eastwards to Amurland, it is largely migratory, most going to southern Asia, though in the Sudan it is listed as common north of Khartum; he also states that a very few have recently been found in Abyssinia. With the discovery of a breeding population in Ethiopia, there must now be doubt as to whether other records within the country refer, as assumed up to now, to Palaearctic migrants. Table 1 lists all the records I have been able to trace. TABLE 1 Occurrences of Tadorna ferruginea in Ethiopia Date Locality Co-ordinates Altitude (m) Nos. Authority 17 Dec 1904 Asmata 15.20N, 38.55E 2300 I Dal-Fiume 1907 ? Angua Meshf ? ? ? Moltoni & Ruscone 1944 to Aug 1965 Lake Abiata 7.40N, 38.35E 1573 2 Urban 1971 12 Feb 1966 Upper Ueb* 6.6.51N, 39.32E 3455 Sev. prs. L. H. Brown 8 & 22 Oct 1967 Gefersa 9.03N, 38.40E 2605 I Urban 1971 Feb 1967 nt. Dinshu* 7.05N, 39.45E 3000 I Urban 1971 early Aprl 1968 nr. Dinshu* 7.05N, 39.45E 3000 I Urban 1971 1966-1969 Dubte 11.43N, 41.00E 380 Rate Hill e¢ al. 1970 13 Jan 1969 Akaki 8.50N, 38.44E 3070 2 E. K. Urban 9 Nov 1969 Akaki 8.50N, 38.44E 3070 I Ash post-1969 Upper Ueb* 6.51N, 39.32E 3660 ? Waltermire 1975 24 Jan 1970 Akaki 8.50N, 38.44E 3070 2 Moote 1970 7 & 9 Feb 1975 Bahadu 10.15N, 40.28E 530 2 Ash 6 Apr 1975 Saneti Plateau* See text See text 67+ Ash 10 May 1975 nr. Mt. Gaysay* 7.12N, 39.45E 3040 2 Ash 10 May 1975 Saneti Plateau* See text See text Many Anon 1975 May 1976 Saneti Plateau* See text See text 142 T. Fison 21-22 Jun 1976 Saneti Plateau* See text See text 57+ Ash * All these observations are in the same general area of the Bale Mountains and are within the proposed National Park. ft Moltoni & Ruscone (1944) refer to this locality as ‘“Angua Mesh presso il Monte Erer”, which I am unable to trace. Italian maps of this period show only one Mt. Erer at 03° 52’ N, 39° 46’ E, close to the Kenya border, but this seems eaieely, habitat for any duck. Urban (1971) does not refer to this record, but does include Dal-Fiume’s (1907) from The records based on the Bale Mountains, in February and April to June, include the breeding population, which is presumably a resident population restricted to this small area of open plain and scattered tarns lying to the northeast of Lake Deemtu. Other records in the same neighbourhood, such as those at Dinshu and Gaysay in February, April and May are presumably local wanderers from this population, which may indeed be larger and more widespread, since Waltermire (1975) reports shelducks from the upper Ueb, as also does Urban (1971), though without indicating numbers. The map in Waltermire’s paper shows several tarns around 6°51'N, 39°32’E, apparently a habitat similar to the Saneti Plateau and thus suitable for shelduck. The remaining records comprise at least 11 individuals in scattered locali- ties between 10 August and 9 February. These may well be Palaearctic migrants, but equally well may be wanderers from the Bale Mountains. The fact that this species was not recorded from the Bale Mountains before 1967 does not imply that a new population had established itself there. This part of Ethiopia is very difficult to travel in and there must have been very few visitors prior to that time. The spate of new records in other parts of the country could be credited to a new population in Bale, but they are just as likely to have been due to the influx of keen observers about that time and to the formation of a local wildlife society. Another area which needs to be watched for possible breeding is the Gefersa/Akaki region which resembles the habitat of this species in Morocco, though it is very different from the Bale Mountain habitat. 59 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] The population of Tadorna ferruginea in the Saneti Plateau atea is probably about 30-35 pairs, but with other suitable habitat known to exist in this poorly explored country, there may be twice this number. A thorough search of the area, preferably in May or June would be very rewarding. Acknowledgements: Some of the above observations were made during the course of research supported in part by the Naval Medical Research & Development Command Work Unit No. MRo41.09.01-0014DGHJ and the Office of Naval Research under Con- tract No. Nooo14—67—A—0399-0009. The opinions and assertions in this scientific report ate‘ those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Navy Depart- ment or of the naval service at large. I am most grateful to Dr. E. K. Urban, who provided me with information about his observations and to Dr. C. K. Wallace who commented on a draft of this paper. References: Anon (Tyler, S. J.) 1975. Ruddy Shelduck in the Bale Mountains. Eth. Wildlife e N.H.S. Newsletter 98: 3. Dal-Fiume, C. 1907. Catalogo di una collezione di uccelli della Colonia Eritrea. Ali. Soc. Ital. Sci. Nat. Milano 46: 73-103. Hill, G. G., Hill, M., Santi, G. & Robertson, L. 1970. Dubte Plantation checklist of birds. Walia 2: 41-65. Lind, E. M. & Morrison, M. E. S. 1974. East African Vegetation. Longman: London. Moltoni, E. & Ruscone, G. G. 1944. Gli uccelli dell’ Africa orientale Italiana. Pt. Il. Milano. Moote, E, 1970. Society News — January outing. Eth. Wildlife ¢» N.H.S. Newsletter 37: 1. Moreau, Fs: E. 1972. The Palaearctic-African Bird Migration Systems. Academic Press: London. Smith, K. D. 1957. An annotated list of the birds of Eritrea. /bis 99: 1-26, 307-337. Urban, E. K. 1971. Status of the Palaearctic Wildfowl occurring in Ethiopia. Proc. 3rd Int. Reg. Meeting, Cons. Wildfowl Resources, Leningrad. Urban, E. K. & Brown, L. H. 1971. A Checklist of the Birds of Ethiopia. Haile Sellassie I University Press: Addis Ababa. Waltermire, R. G. 1975. A National Park in the Bale Mountains. Walia 6: 20-24. APPENDIX Birds seen in April 1975 and June 1976 at Lale Deemtu, Ethiopia, 3890 m a.s.l. On 6 April 1975 large numbers of wildfowl were present, including Teal Anas crecca 2, Yellow-billed Duck A. undulata 7, Pintail A. acuta 200, Garganey A. querquedula 1, Shoveler A, clypeata 250. Other wetland species there or in the immediate area ("endemic to Ethiopia) included Little Grebe Podiceps ruficollis, Wattled Ibis Bostrychia carunculata™ , Blue- winged Goose Cyanochen cyonoptera® , Wattled Crane Gras carunculatus, Rouget’s Rail Rallus rougetii*®, Spot-breasted Plover Vanellus melanocephalus*, W/ood Sandpiper Tringa glareola, Common Sandpiper T. Aypoleucos and Little Stint Calidris minuta. In June 1976, there were 2 Shovelers still present, as well as Black Duck A. sparsa 2, Wigeon A. penelope 6 and Crested Coot Fulica cristata 4. Characteristic land birds seen in the immediate vicinity included Lanner Falcon Falco biarmicus, Grey-wing Francolinus psilo- laemus, Chestnut-naped Francolin F’. castaneicollis, White-collared Pigeon Columba albitorques*, Short-crested Lark Galerida malabarica, Pale Crag Martin Hirundo fuligula arabica, Red- throated Pipit Anthus cervinus, Abyssinian Longclaw Macron)x flavicollis*, Hill Chat Cer- comela sordida, Black-headed Siskin Serinus nigriceps*, Slender-billed Chestnut-winged Starling Onychognathus tenuirostris and Chough Pyyrhocorax pyrrhocorax. In addition to the 7 endemics listed above 7 others occur in the same area at a slightly lower altitude: Yellow-fronted Parrot Poicephalus flavifrons*, Black-winged Lovebird Agapornis taranta*, Golden-backed Woodpecker Dendropicos abyssinicus*, Abyssinian Catbird Parophasma galinieri*, White-backed Black Tit Parus Jleuconotus*, Black-headed Forest Oriole Oriolus monacha* and Thick-billed Raven Corvus crassirostris” . Thus over half of Ethiopia’s endemic species of birds can be found in this relatively small area. Address: Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Smithsonian Institution, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 5, APO New York 09319. [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] 60 Blyth’s Pipit Axthus godlewskii in the Western Palaearctic by Kenneth Williamson Received 17 February 1977 When preparing a paper in 1963 (“The identification of the larger pipits’— Brit. Birds (1963) 56: 285-292), I found a specimen in the British Museum (Natural History), Tring, determined as ““Anthus campestris” which I pointed out had been wrongly identified—since when it has been placed with the Blyth’s Pipits A. godlewskii. The specimen was collected at Brighton, Sussex in October 1882 and is ex co//. Swaysland, reg. no. 83—10-10-1. It has been examined recently by Dr. D. W. Snow and P. Coulston, both of whom agree with my identification. In my paper I commented that A. godlewskii could occur as a vagrant in Britain, and despite a rejection of this view by Grant (‘‘Field identification of Richard’s and Tawny Pipits” —Brit. Birds (1972) 65: 287-290) one was obtained in Finland in September 1975. It therefore seems appropriate to record the B.M. specimen, the first and only one known from the British Isles, and the following are the details of identification of this skin, which in plumage is similar to Richard’s Pipit A. novaeseelandiae richardi. Measurements: Wing 85 mm. Tail 62 mm. Bill (to skull) 16 mm. Tarsus 28 mm. Hind claw 11 mm. Wing formula: znd=3rd=4th; 5th, 1 mm. shorter; emarginated znd—th. Penultimate tail-feather; point of white wedge on inner web 20 mm. from tip; ultimate 10 mm. of shaft white. [See Hall “Notes on specific identification of the Tawny Pipit (Anthus campestris), Blyth’s Pipit (A. godhveskiz) and Richard’s Pipit (A. novaeseelandiae) in Asia” —J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. (1957) 54: 726-731; Hall “The Taxonomy and identification of pipits—genus Anthus’—Bull. Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist.) Zool. (1961) 7: 243-289, pls. 56-61; and Williamson (1963) ]. Discussion: The wing and tail measurements are at the low limit of the range for A. n. richardi given by Hall and by Williamson, who examined 30 and 24 specimens respectively. They fall within the ranges for campestris and godlewskii. ‘Tail length expressed as a percentage of wing-length is 72, which is well outside the range found for richardi (75-88) and within that found for godlewskii (68— 81). It is also below the limit found for campestris (75-83). Bill length is within the range for both campestris and godlewskii. Tarsus length is at the upper limit for both species and at the lower limit for richardi (Hall’s and my own measured series). The bill is xo¢ broad and deep as it is in richardi, being similar in structure to campestris. The wing/tarsus ratio is 2-9 which falls outside the range 3-3 — 3-8 given by Hall for campestris, and is at the low limit of 2-9 — 3-3 for richardi. The hind claw is cutved, not straight as it is in most richard:, and the curvatute is typical of godlewskii. It falls well short of the 14-19 mm given for 30 specimens of richardi by Hall, and the 134-19 mm of my own series of 24. II mm is rare in campestris and is in the middle of the range for god/lewskii. The tail pattern matches that of godlewskiz. Summary: Characters affirming the error of the original identification of the Brighton bird as Anthus campestris ate: 61 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] (a) plumage, similar to ». richardi, not to campestris; (b) wing/tail ratio outside measured range; (c) wing/tarsus ratio outside measured range; (d) hind-claw too long; (e) tail pattern “wrong”’. Distinction then remains to be made between A. god/ewskii and small aberrant richardi. The wing/tail ratio and hind claw measurements exclude richardi. The only characters suggestive of richardi (and neither of these excludes god/lewskii) are the plumage and the wing/tarsus ratio. On the other hand the tail pattern is typical of god/ewskiz, and the other characters detailed above support the identification. Address: British Trust for Ornithology, Beech Grove, Tring, Herts. Further bird weights from Panama by Joseph G. Strauch, Jr. Received 18 February 1977 Recently Burton (1973, 1975) published the weights of birds collected in Panama and Columbia during the British Trans-American Expedition, 1971-2. During 1971-3 I recorded a series of weights in Panama which greatly augments his data. In contrast to Burton’s specimens, almost all of mine were sexed by direct examination of gonads. Most of them are now preserved as skeletons in the collection of The University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Weights recorded to the nearest gramme were taken with a Pesola balance soon after death. Weights recorded to the nearest tenth of a gramme were taken with an Ohaus triple-beam balance on birds which had been sealed in plastic bags and stored on ice soon after death and weighed later in the same day. In all, there are 540 weights of 207 species, 80 of which were also reported by Burton. Unless otherwise indicated, specimens were obtained in lowland areas of Panama Province and the Pacific half of the Panama Canal Zone. (My eastern- most collecting localities overlap Burton’s two westernmost collecting localities.) Specimens collected on the Pipeline Road in the Canal Zone are included under this heading even though some of them were taken on the Atlantic side of the Continental Divide. Specimens were also obtained at Cerro Jefe (CJ: about 1100 m a.s.l., eastern Panama Province), 9° 15’ N, a0 20. W; Cerro Campana (CC: about 1000 m a.s.l., western Panama Pro- vince), 8° 40’ N, 79° 55 W; Cerro Punta (CP: about 1800 m a.s.l., Chiriqui Province), 8° 55 N, 82° 35 iW: near Changuinola, Bocas del Toro. Province (BT), 9° 30’ N, 82° 30’ W; and on the Atlantic side of the Canal Zone and adjacent Colon Province (AS). Details on most of these areas may be found in Ridgely (1976). The information for each specimen includes location (if not from the Pacific lowlands), sex, month, weight (in grammes), and breeding condition if indicated by gonad development, in that order. Nomenclature follows Ridgely (1976). Crypturellus soui: 2 Apt. 260°5 Hydranassa tricolor: 2 Oct. 283°7 Agamia agami: § Mar. 602°5 Tigrisoma mexicanum: 9 Mar. 1085-1 Cochlearius cochlearius: (AS) 2 Sep. 503-1 (breeding) Micrastur semitorquatus: 3 Aug. 513:°0 Porzana carolina: 9 Nov. 50°8 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] 62 Gallinula chloropus: 3 Sep. 332°1 Jacana jacana: § Aug. 84°5 Pluvialis squatarola: 3 Feb. 196:2 Charadrius semipalmatus: $3 Feb. 39°3; Nov. 36-9; 22 Mar. 42-4; Oct. 41-4; Nov. 37°0, 38°6, 38:6, 39°1, 39°2, 39°53 Dec. 37-1, 40°0, 45:0 Charadrius collaris: 83 Feb. 30°9; Oct. 26°5, 26-7; Nov. 26-1, 31-0; Dec. 27-5; 99 Feb..28*1,,29°0, 29°2, 30-03 Aug, 28-5; Oct,.29°0, 30:4; Noy, 29-8, 26-1,.29°7, 20°53 * Dec. 2)? 5 Charadrius wilsonia: 33 Feb. 48+6; Mar. 52-2, 52°9, 53°1, 54°3, 55 °1, 66:2, 67-0; Oct. 45°2, 50°4, 63-2; Nov. 48-2, 48-9, 50°2, 53°1, 54°1, 54°6; Dec. 50-9; 29 Feb. 65°53; Mar. 49-4, 54°8, 59°7, 70°4, 80°0; Oct. 48-4, 49°4, 49°8, 52°0, 54°4, 55°6, 55°9, 56°1, §7°1, 57°43 Nov. 48-9, 53°4, 60°0; Dec. 47:2, 54°4 Bartramia longicauda: §$ Oct. 125-5, 130°6 Numenius phaeopus: 3 Jan. 385°6 Tringa flavipes: (AS) 3 Nov. 71-3 Catoptrophorus semipalmatus: 8 Apt. 406-2; 22 Jan. 314°6; Feb. 348-8; Apr. 266-3, 429°7 st Aphriza virgata: § Feb. 155°3; 2 Feb. 148-0 3 Calidris alba: 9 Feb. 51-1 ' Calidris mauri: 83 Jan. 21-9; Mar. 30:0; Dec. 24°83; 9 Feb. 26-9 Sterna hirundo: 83 Feb. 97°6, 108+4; May 105-6, 121-6; 9 May 105°6 Thalasseus sandvicensis: 9 May 201°8 Columba cayennensis: (BT) 2 Nov. 250 Columbina minuta: Jan. 37°03; Jun. 35-6 (both breeding) Columbina talpacoti: 8 Oct. 44°4; 29 Sep. 47; Oct. 41°2 7 Claravis pretiosa: 33 Apt. 69-0; Aug. 68-5 (breeding): 9 Aug. 74-8 (egg in oviduct) | Leptotila cassinii: (AS) ? Feb. 166° 9 7 Brotogeris jugularis: 9 Feb. 68-3 7 Amazona autumnalis: (AS) 3 Mar. 411-2 - Piaya minuta: 9 Jan. 43°8 Crotophaga major: 33 Jan. 166-7; Feb. 162:1; 99 Feb. 139°5; Apr. 145-1 Crotophaga ani: 8g Feb. 123-7; May 118-7, 133°1; Jun. 116°8; Sep. 107-7, 111°6, 115°6; Oct. 114°5; Nov. 121-7; Dec. 124-3; 99 Apr. 88-7, 89:7; May 84:5, 89:0 93°8, 94°8; Jun. 94°4, 97°5, 106°1; Sep. 81-8, 85:4; Nov. 86-5 Crotophaga sulcirostris: 83 May 68-1, 70:2, 84-1; Sep. 77°9; Oct. 62-0, 71-6, 71°6, 73°8; Nov. 70°3; Dec. 61°13 99 Jan. 67°2;. Apr57- 1s $971, Ga AMA 55/3, 60-8, 64-1; Nov. 63-0; Oct. 61-9, 63:8, 66-7; Dec. 63-0 (BT) 3g Apr. 84-6; Nov. 83-5, 85-6, 87-2; 99 Apr. 64-6, 66-2, 79:8; Nov. 66-1, 66°*7,'7o"2 Tapera naevia: 99 Apr. 52°4; Jun. 56:8 (breeding) Chordeiles acutipennis: 9 Jan. 46°3 Chaetura brachyura: 2 Jun. 16-8 Glaucis hirsuta: 83 Jan. 6°6; Sep. 8:2 Phaethornis guy: (CP) 3 Apr. 6°1 Phaethornis superciliosus: 3 Aug. 6-7 Anthracothorax nigricollis: 8 Jan. 7: bg 2? Aug. 6 Chlorostilbon assimilis: 83 Feb. 3-7; Sep. 3°43 (BT) 6 Apr. 4°1 Thalurania colombica: (CC) $3 Apr. 4:6, 4°6 Damophila julie: 33 Jan. 3-3; Aug. 3°6, 4°4 Goldmania violiceps: (CJ) $$ Apr. 3°8, 4:0; 99 Feb. 3-9; Apr. 3°4 (breeding), 3-6 (breeding), 3-8 Amazilia edward: 83 Oct. 5-1, 5°43; 92 Jan. 4-3; Sep. 4°3 (breeding), 5-2 (breeding) ; OCt) 427 Amazilia tzacatl: $3 Jan. 5-1; Oct. 4-4; (BT) ? Apr. 5-6 Chalybura buffonii: 833 Sep. 6-8 (breeding); Oct. 6-9, 7:0; 2 Apr. 7°9 Lampornis castaneoventris: (CP) 3 Apr. 6°3;99 Apr. 4°7, 5:0, §°3 Heliodoxa jacula: (CP) $ Apr. 9°5 Heliomaster longirostris: 8 May 6-9 Selasphorus scintilla: (CP) 2 Apr. 2-0 Trogon aurantiiventris: (CC) 3 Apr. 68-5; 9 Apr. 67-4 Trogon rufus: 9 Jan. 52°1 Electron platyrhynchum: 9 Jan. 61-2 Momotus momota: ? Apt. 94:0 63 [Bull, B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] Notharchus macrorhynchus: 8 Dec. 106+2 Notharchus pectoralis: § Mar. 69-1 Malacoptila panamensis: 8 Jan. 36-9; 2? Mar. 41-9 Nonnula frontalis: (AS) 9 Es Teg 5 Monasa morphoeus: 3 Mat. Aulacorhynchus prasinus: (CB) 9 St. 167 (egg in oviduct) Picumnus olivaceus: 8 Aug. 10-0 Celeus loricatus: 3 Oct. 78°53; 2 Mar. 79°8 Dryocopus lineatus: 2 Apt. 177°7 - Melaner pes rubricapillus: 9 Mar. 47-0 Melanerpes pucherani: 3 Apt. 75°8; 2? Mar. 60°4 Campephilus melanoleucos: 3 Oct. 225+3 (breeding) Dendrocincla fuliginosa: (AS) $$ Mat. 36-0, 42°5 Dendrocolaptes certhia: $$ Mar. 70-0; Sep. 71°7; 2 Mar. 73-9; (AS) 2 Mar. 72-7 Xiphorhynchus guttatus: 9 May 48-9; ? May 58-2 Xiphorhynchus lachrymosus: 83 Feb. 53 +8; Oct. 55°1 Synallaxis albescens: 2 Apr. 14°2 Aenops minutus: 99 Jan. 11-2; Sep. 12-0 Sclerurus guatemalensis: 2 Mar. "36 fe) Cymbilaimus lineatus: (AS) 3 Mar. 32-9 Taraba major: 3 Jul. 66-4 Thamnophilus doliatus: 8 May 23-9 Thamnophilus punctatus: 3 Mar. 22°8;2 Mar. 22°1 Myrmotherula fulviventris: 9. Mar. 10°3; ? May 9°9 Myrmotherula axillaris: $3 Mar. 7°9, 8°1 Cercomacra tyrannina: (CC) 9 Apr. 15°3 Cercomacra nigricans: 8 Mar. 17-2 Gymnocichla nudiceps: (AS) 3 Mar. 27-9 Myrmeciza exsul: 29 Nov. 26°1 Gymnopithys leucastis: $$ Mat 29-4 (breeding), 29-8 (breeding), 31-0; 9 Mar. 32°3 Hylophylax naevioides: 33 Mar. 16-2; Sep. 15°5 Phaenostictus mcleannani: $$ Mar. 50°5, 51°6; 92 Mar. 51-5; May 44:9 Pipra coronata: 3 Nov. 10°7; 2 Nov. 10°7 Pipra mentalis: 9 Mar. 14°1 Chiroxiphia lanceolata: 33 Apr. 17°5; May 15:6; 9 May 22-3 (breeding) Corapipo altera: (CC) 33 Mar. 11-5, 12°33 Apr. 12°6 Manacus vitellinus: 833 May 18-0; Aug. 18-7; 9 Aug. 14°9 Schiffornis turdinus: 9 Mar. 33-1 Attila spadiceus: 8 Nov. 38°8 Laniocera rufescens: 3 Mar. 48-1 Pachyramphus cinnamomeus: ? May 20°1 Pachyramphus polychopterus: 9 Jul. 20-4; (BT) 2 Apr. 23-6 Tityra inquisitor: 3 Apr. 46-1 Querula purpurata: ? Mar. 101-6 Colonia colonus: 2 Jan. 16-2 (breeding) Fluvicola pica: 2 Apr. 10-4 (imm.) Muscivora forficata: 3 Sep. 27°4 Legatus leucophaius: 3 Aug. 24:8 Sirystes sibilator: 3 Feb. 35-2 (breeding) Myiodynastes maculatus: 3 Feb. 44-3 (breeding) Megarhynchus pitangua: 9 Apr. 82-2 (egg in oviduct); (BT) J Nov. 67-6 Myiozetetes cayanensis: 833 Feb. 25-4 (imm.); Aug. 24°8; 2 Feb. 23-2 (breeding) Pitangus sulphuratus: 8 Aug. 63-7 Pitangus lictor: $$ May 23-1, 23°6 Myiarchus crinitus: 3 Feb. 36: “5 Mbyiarchus panamensis: 8 Mar. 28-1 (breeding) Myiarchus tuberculifer: 9 Apt. 17°73 ? Mar. 20-4; (CJ) g Feb. 21°3 Nuttallornis borealis: 3 Sep. 30°5 Contopus virens: 3 Oct. 13°5 Contotus sordidulus: 8 Oct. 13-0 Myiobius sulphureipygius: $3 Oct. 11-8, 12°7 Myiophobus fasciatus: § Oct. 9°53; 9 Sep. 8-4 Cnipodectes subbrunneus: 3 Nov. 27°23; 92 Nov. 21°1, 23°4 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] 64 Tolmomyias sulphurescens: 88 Feb. 14°2; Sep. 15:9 Rhynchocyclus olivaceus: 9 Jan. 21°1 Todirostrum cinereum: 2? Oct. 6°4 Phylloscarites flavovirens: 9 Sep. 8°8 Capsiempsis flaveola: 3 Aug. 8-0 Elaenia flavogaster: $$ Oct. 25-4 (breeding); Nov. 23-6; 99 Jan. 23-0; Sep. 24:8 Elaenia chiriquensis: (CP) 2 Apr. 19°1 (breeding) Elaenia frantzii: (CP) $$ Apr. 191, 19°1, 21°1 (breeding), 22-0 Camptostoma obsoletum: 3 Feb. 8-2 (breeding) Tyrannulus elatus: 83 Jan. 8-0; May 8-6 Ornithion brunneicapillum: 3 Feb. 7-1 (breeding); 2 Feb. 7:2 (breeding); ? Feb. 6-9 Mionectes olivaceus: 29 Nov. 14°7 (breeding) Pipromorpha oleaginea: 8 Oct. 10-0 Tachycineta albilinea: 9 Aug. 13°6 Neochelidon tibialis: § Jan. 9:2;2 Apr. 9°1 Campylorhynchus albobrunneus: 33 Jan. 32°7; Apr. 34°0, 34°3 Thryothorus leucotis: 8 Apt. 20°6 Thryothorus rufalbus: $$ Feb. 27°7; Aug. 27°1 Thryothorus nigricapillus: (AS) 22 Feb. 26-3; Mar. 22°8 Thryothorus fasciatoventris: 9 Apr. 20-7 (breeding) Thryothorus rutilus: 33 Feb. 15-7; Apr. 15-3 (breeding) Troglodytes musculus: 83 Apr. 14°8; Oct. 14°7; 2 Oct. 15-7 Henicorhina leucosticta: (CC) § Mar. 16-1 Henicorhina leucophrys: (CC) 3 Mar. 18-7; (CJ) d Jul. 18-7 Microcerculus marginatus: 2 Nov. 22+2 (breeding) Cyporhinus phaeocephalus: (AS) 2 Feb. 24:6 Turdus assimilis: (CC) § Mar. 66:2; 9 Mar. 7 Myadestes melanops: (CP) $g Apt. 30-0, 32° a (both breeding) Polioptila plumbea: 2 Feb. 6-2; (CJ) 3 Feb. 6- “4 Ramphocaenus rufriventris: 2 Sep. FO72 Vireo flavoviridis: ? May 16:6; (CC) 3 Mar. 17-7 Hylophilus aurantiifrons: 3 Apt. 9°6; 2 Feb. 10-1 Hylophilus flavipes: $$ Jun. 12°5; Aug. 11°3, 12°53 Sep. 12°7, 13; 92 Aug .11°4, 12°1, 12°H, 43-23 Sep. a3 s20et: 1327. Diglossa plumbea: (CP) 3 Apt. 9°3;9 Apr. 9°8 Chlorophanes spiza: 9 Feb. 18-5 (breeding); ? Dec. 17-7; (CC) o Mar. 19-6 Cyanerpes cyaneus: $$ Jan. 13-0 (breeding), 13-1 (breeding); 99 Jan. 14:7; Feb. 13°7 (breeding); ? Aug. 13-1 Dacnis cayana: § Jan. 13-1 (breeding), 13-4; 99 Jan. 13-6, 13°7; ? Sep. 14°5 Danis venusta: (CC) § Apr. 17-1; 2 Mar. 16:2 (both breeding) Mniotilta varia: ? Dec. 10°3 Protonotaria citrea: 9? Oct. 12°4 Dendroica pensylvanica: § Mar. 10:2 Dendroica castanea: § Jan. 11°4 Oporornis tolmiei: 833 Sep. 11-5; Oct. 10°6 Basileuterus delatrii: 99 Jun. 11-8; Aug. 10°1 Zarhynchus wagleri: (AS) 33 Feb. 213-4, 239°4; 99 Feb. 134-2, 141-3 (all breeding) Gymnostinops montezuma: (AS) g Apt. 528°5; 2 Apr. 241°8 (both breeding) Psarocolius decumanus: 99 Jan. 178°3, 191°8 (both breeding) Cacicus cela: § Oct. 94°9 Cacicus uropygialis: $$ Jan. 62°5, 71°73; Sep. 71°6; Dec. 71-4; 29 Jan. 53°6, 54:2; May 50:0; Dec. 54°5, 57°6 Molothrus aeneus: 9 May 54:0 Cassidix mexicanus: 2 Aug. 112°0 Icterus auricapillus: 8 Mar. 33°5 Icterus chrysater: 83 Apr. 50°1; Sep. §57°7 A anthocephalus eae ae (AS) p Nov. 65°5 Sturnella magna: 3 Jan. 97°5 Euphonia anneae: (CC) 3 Apr. 15:0; 2? Mar. 15°4 Exuphonia fulvicrissa: 8 Apt. 10°1 Exuphonia minuta: $3 Feb. 9-4 (breeding), 10°6; Oct. 9-9, 11°53; 2 Feb. 11-2 Exuphonia luteicapilla: 2 Sep. 13+2 Exuphonia laniirostris: 83 Feb. 15+2 (imm.); Apr. 14°2, 14°2, 15°33 22 Feb. 16:5, Apr. 16:0; Oct. 14°5 : 65 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] Euphonia gouldi: (BT) 3 Apr. 10°9 Tangara icterocephala: (CC) $$ Mar. 22-0, 22°9, 24:7; 92 Mar. 22-4, 22:6; (CC) 2 Apr. 24°1 Tangara larvata: § Feb. 17°7; 99 Feb. 17:1, 18-5; Apr. 17:1; (BT) § Apr. 23:9 Tangara inornata: 83 Jan. 17°4; Feb. 18-8, 19:1; 92 Apr. 18-1; Sep. 18°5 Tangara gyrola: (CC) 3g Mar. 23-8, 23-8, 24°4 (breeding); 2 ‘Mar. 24°1, 25°2 Thraupis episcopus: $3 Mat. ri 0; Oct. 31°5 Thraupis palmarum: 3 Oct. 3 Ramphocelus dimidiatus: 33 ie 27°3, 34°03; Oct. 29°23; 99 Sep. 29-1; Oct. 25°4, 31°8 Ramphocelus icteronotus: § Apr. 30°0;99 Apr. 31-1, 31°8 (all breeding) _ Piranga rubra: 3 Jan. 28: Piranga flava: (CC) 3 Mar. 36-7 Habia fuscicauda: 33 Feb. 39-9 (imm.); May 39-7; yan 40°1; Aug. 38-0; 99 Feb. 34:2; Sep. 36-4; (AS) ¢ Feb. 42-0 Tachythonus rufus: § Aug. 30:9; 9 Sep. 27°5 Tachyphonus luctuosus: 83 Feb. 15:0; May 13°3;2 Mar. 13-8 Exucometis penicillata: 2 Mar. 29°5 Rhodinocichla rosea: 3 Feb. 51°8 Chrysothlypis oe (CC) g Apr. 12°5 Saltator maximus: 9 Aug. 46-9 Saltator albicollis: 38 Apt. 37. -6; Sep. 39; Oct. 42-0, 43-9; 99 Apr. 28-6 (imm.), 40°6 (breeding); Oct. 40-7; ? 35°3 Pitylus grossus: 3 Sep. 43°53 Q May 50°4 (breeding) Pheucticus ludovicianus: 3 Jan. 47°3 Cyanocompsa cyanoides: 3 Feb. 31°1; 9 Oct. 31°4 Tiaris olivacea: 8 Oct. 9°3; (CJ) d Jul. 10°3 Sporophila aurita: $$ Jun. 10-0; Oct. 10-0 (imm.), 11-6; 9 Oct. 10-8; (BT) dg Apr. 11-9 Sporophila nigricollis: 3 Jun. 9-9 Sptorophila minuta: 2 Jun. 8+3 Oryzoborus funereus: 9 Jun. 13°4; (BT) go Apr. 12-8; (CJ) d Sep. 13-9 Arremon aurantiirostris: 83 Jan. 33°7; May 33°4 Arremonops conirostris: $3 Jun. 39°5 (imm.); Sep. 37-6; 2 Apr. 38-8 Acknowledgements: This work was done while the author was a Visiting Research Associ- ate and Presidential Intern at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. References: Burton, P. J. K. 1973. Non-passerine bird weights from Panama and Colombia. Bu//. Brit. Orn. Cl. 93: 116-118. — 1975. Passerine bird weights from Panama and Colombia, with some notes on “soft- part” colours. Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 95: 82-86. Ridgely, R. S. 1976. A Guide to the Birds of Panama. Princetown, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. Address: Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, U.S.A. An undescribed subspecies of the Red-legged Honeycreeper Cyanerpes cyaneus by Kenneth C’. Parkes Received 10 March 1977 The Red-legged Honeycreeper Cyanerpes cyaneus is a widely distributed member of the ““honeycreeper”’ group of tanagers (Embetizidae: Thraupinae) formerly placed in the composite “family Coerebidae” (Storer 1969). The species ranges from southern Mexico south to Bolivia and southeastern Brazil, and is highly polytypic. For the South American populations, the standard revisionary treatment was for many years that of Zimmer (1942), which, although correct in general outline, had the disadvantage of having been based only upon material available to the author at the American Museum of Natural History. The most recent treatment of the species is that of Storer (1970), who made available to me before publication his [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] 66 manuscript of the subfamily Thraupinae for the “‘Peters’’ Check-list, to which I added distributional information taken from the collections of Carnegie Museum of Natural History. In the case of Cyanerpes cyaneus (and some other tanagers), I also did some revisionary studies, and these, as indicated by Storer’s footnotes and parenthetical remarks, were incorporated into his Check-list treatment. The present paper will serve to document some of the changes made by Storer from Zimmer’s arrangement, at my suggestion. Other than some adjustment in the ranges of subspecies, the principal differences between Zimmer’s and Storer’s treatment of Cyanerpes cyaneus ate the recognition by Storer of C. c. brevipes (Cabanis) for the populations of the lower and middle Amazon, and acknowledgement of the existence in the southeastern portion of the species’ range of an undescribed race (Storer 1970: 396), of which at that time I had not seen sufficient material to be able to define accurately its characters and range, since it was represented by only a few specimens in the collections of Carnegie Museum of Natural History (CM) and the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). Subsequent examination of key specimens from the U.S. National Museum of Natural History (USNM) has verified the existence of this race, which is now be- latedly described as new. A few preliminary remarks will explain some of the changes made from Zimmer’s concept of the taces of Cyanerpes cyaneus. Zimmer’s race violaceus, described from Matto Grosso, Brazil, is a good subspecies. Without having seen Bolivian specimens, Zimmer stated, however, that “it is probable that the specimens recorded from Guarayos, eastern Bolivia [see Hellmayr 1935: 253-254], belong to vio/aceus’’. This is confirmed by a series (CM) from the Rio Surutt, Dept. of Santa Cruz (southwest of Guarayos), Bolivia (for coordinates, see Paynter e¢ a/. 1975). The range of vzolaceus extends even farther north and west, as indicated by a single male (CM) of this race from Hyutanahan, upper Rio Purus, Brazil (an area whose avifauna shows a number of Bolivian affinities). A moulting male (AMNH) from Borba, on the Rio Madeira, Brazil, approaches this race closely. Zimmer’s colour comparisons of violaceus with nominate cyaneus are somewhat inaccurate as well as incomplete. He stated that females of violaceus “differ in color from those of cyaneus principally by duller yellowish inner margins of the remiges”. In point of fact, the few female skins available do not show any clearcut difference in the yellow of the underwing. Geographic variation in colour of females will be discussed in more detail later. A charac- ter of males, mentioned in Zimmer’s description of the type of wzolaceus but not in his diagnosis, is that the pale turquoise blue of the cap is separated from the black of the back by a distinct dark purplish band (the colour of the underparts), whereas in cyaneus males the cap colour blends posteriorly, and is still pale when the back is reached. Specimens from the lower and middle Amazon, from the middle Tocantins west at least to Manacapurt, are like cyaneus in colour but have tiny bills (from nostril, 11-12:5 mm., mean 11°8 versus 13-16 mm., mean 14-4 in cyaneus). These should be C. ¢. brevipes (Cabanis), which was thought er- roneously by the describer to have come from Porto Cabello, Venezuela, the source also of the type of his long-billed race eximia. Gyldenstolpe (1945) substituted “‘Para’”’ as the type locality of brevipes, but this was an unhappy choice as specimens from the vicinity of the city of Para (now Belém) are not the small-billed bird, but are intergrades between Guianian cyaneus and the eastern Brazilian race to be described below. At my suggestion, Storer (1970) ee 67 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] interpreted Gyldenstolpes “Para” as meaning the safe of Para, and further restricted the type locality of brevipes to Santarém, a locality inhabited by the small-billed bird. That this fulfills Gyldenstolpe’s intent is indicated by the latter author having called his specimens from the Rio Tapajéz (at the mouth of which lies Santerém) “brevipes.” Zimmer rejected brevipes on the basis of “too much overlap” of bill measurements, but it is apparent that he did not understand the geographic pattern shown by the variation in bill size. Gyldenstolpe (1945) called his specimens from the Rio Jurué, in western- most Amazonas, Brazil, “brevipes”, but the bill measurements cited and the colour description indicate that these birds are better referred to the north- western race dispar Zimmer, and this treatment was adopted by Storer. We turn now to the southeastern race, which may be called Cyanerpes cyaneus holti subsp. nov. Type: Carnegie Museum of Natural History no. 137834, adult 3, collected at Pau Gigante (now Ibiracu), Espirito Santo, Brazil (19°50’S, 40°22’W), 21 October 1940, by E. G. and M. L. Holt. Characters: Adult males similar to vio/aceus Zimmet in having the turquoise crown patch restricted, especially posteriorly (thus differing from the adjacent races cyaneus and brevipes), but bill long as in cyaneus. Underparts and lower dorsum darker and more intensely coloured than cyaneus and brevipes, but not as purplish as violaceus. Yellow of inner webs of remiges of both sexes deeper and more sharply defined than in any of the three other races under discussion. Range: Eastern Brazil from Pernambuco to Espirito Santo; Rio de Janeiro records (Hellmayr 1935) undoubtedly belong here. Occurs inland at least as far as Formosa, southeastern Goids. Intergrades with cyaneus in easternmost Para (Benevides, 32 km east of Belém) and Maranh4o (Miritiba). Intergrades with brevipes in northernmost Goids (Araguatins) and at Villa Braga, ¢c. 256 km upstream (southwest) from Santarém on the Rio Tapajos. Measurements: Among the four eastern South American races under consideration here, I found no significant differences in flattened wing length except that v7o/aceus averages somewhat longer (means of adult 34 as follows: cyaneus 63-6, brevipes 62-7, holti 63-4, violaceus 65-9 mm). This accords well with wing measurements given by Zimmer. Measurements of bill from anterior edge of nostril are as follows: cyaneus 13-16 (14-4); brevipes 11-12°5 (11-8); violaceus 11+ 5-13 (12:2); holti 12-5-14°5 mm (13-0). The bills of holt in addition to averaging longer than those of violaceus, are visibly more slender, especially at the base. As Zimmer has pointed out, bill length and wing length do not vary concordantly in this species: a better separation between violaceus and holti is shown by the bill/wing ratio. This ranges from -187 to -195 (-189) in violaceus, and -192 to -228 (-205) in holt. Etymology: This subspecies is named to honour the collector, Ernest G. Holt, a gifted and versatile ornithologist all too little known to younger colleagues. Specimens examined: All of the AMNH material listed by Zimmer (1942) was seen. All pertinent material in USNM was examined, but only those specimens that were taken to Pittsburgh for direct comparisons are listed here, namely those of 4o/# and its intergrades. cyaneus — FRENCH GUIANA: Pied Saut 18; Cayenne 9; Mana 1. suRINAM: Powakka 1. brevipes — BRAZIL: Manacapuri, Amazonas 7; Caviana, Amazonas 2; Santarém, Para 9; Obidos, [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] 68 Para 3. ho/ti — BRAzIL: Pau Gigante (=Ibiracu), Espirito Santo 5 (USNM 4, CM 1); Formosa, Goias 1 (USNM); Recife, Pernambuco 1 (USNM). Cyaneus x holti — BRAzIL: Benevides, Para 7 (CM); Para (=Belém), Para 2 (USNM). brevipes < holti — BRAziu: Villa Braga, Para 2 (CM); Araguatins, Goias 1 (USNM). violaceus — Bouivia: Rio Surutt, Santa Cruz 7; BRAZIL: Hyutanahan, Amazonas 1. Remarks on females: Colour differences among females of this species are difficult to assess, as wear tends to alter their colours far more than those of males. In general, cyaneus appears to be the darkest green dorsally of the races under consideration here, and brevipes the yellowest green, with violaceus and holti intermediate. A single female from Benevides, from the population identified in males as cyaneus x holti, would not be surely separable from cyaneus, although not as dark dorsally as most examples of that race. Some colour tendencies can be noted in the underparts. The broadest and most conspicuous white shaft streaks are found in brevipes, which also tends to be washed with yellow, most conspicuously on the under tail coverts. In violaceus and holti the throat is nearly solid white rather than streaked white and green as in cyaneus and brevipes. The white shaft streaks of the underparts in violaceus and holti scarcely extend posterior to the upper breast, whereas in cyaneus and brevipes they continue to the upper abdomen. The one female from Villa Braga is too dark for brevipes dorsally, and too long-billed for that race, but resembles brevipes ventrally, thus, like the male, appearing inter- mediate between brevipes and holti. Acknowledgements: 1 am grateful to the authorities of the American Museum of Natural History and the U.S. National Museum of Natural History for permission to utilize their specimens in this study. Dr. Paul Slud of the latter institution was kind enough to verify for me the location of Pau Gigante, Brazil. References: Gyldenstolpe, N. 1945. The bird te 3 Rio Jurua in western Brazil. Kungl. Svenska Vet.- Akad. Handl., set. 3, 22 (3): 1 Hellmayr, C. E. 19 35. Gatblogee of bieds of the Americas . . [etc.], part 8. Field Mus. Nat. Hist. Zool. Ser. 13, (8): 1-541. Paynter, R. A., Jr., Traylor, M. A., Jr. & Winter, B. 1975. Ornithological Gazetteer of Bolivia. Cambridge: Museum of Compatative Zoology. Storer, R. W. 1969. What is a tanager? Living Bird 8: 127-136. — 1970. Thraupinae, in Check-list of Birds of the World, vol. 13, ed. by R. A. Paynter, Jr. Cambridge, Museum of Comparative Zoology. Zimmer, J. T. 1942. Studies of Peruvian birds. No. XLIV. Notes on the genera Diglossa and Cyanerpes, with addenda to Ochthoeca. Amer. Mus. Novit. 1203: 1-15. Address: Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA. Faunistic notes and further additions to the Sumatran avifauna by D. A. Holmes Received 14 March 1977 These notes add some further species to the Sumatran avifauna and confirm other species whose presence in Sumatra has been in doubt. Most of the following records are from Lampung, the southernmost province of Sumatra (5° S, 105° E), with a few from Jambi province (2° S, 103° B). ARDEOLA SPECIOSA Pond Herons were seen at several localities in Lampung in 1976 at each season, and the breeding plumage in early May (buff neck, black back and 69 [Bull, B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] cinnamon breast) confirmed the specific identification. The Javan Pond Heron has a discontinuous distribution, for example occurring in Thailand, Java and Borneo (Salomonsen 1929) but not in West Malaysia and hitherto not reliably in Sumatra (Chasen 1935). CICONIA EPISCOPUS Ciconia spp. ate seen quite commonly in the Sumatran plains, either singly or up to 7 birds together. My own records range from the Barumon river in the north (2° N, 100° E), the Batang Hari river near Muara Tembesi in Jambi, and from several localities in Lampung. Birds examined at fairly close range in January 1976 in Jambi, and in November 1976 at Menggala in Lampung, all had grey or dark grey facial skin and bill, the bill tipped with a dark reddish tinge, black cap, and wholly white throat and neck sharply demarcated from the black breast, identifying them as White-necked Storks Ciconia episcopus. The habitat of open swamp, flooded grazing land, riceland, grassland and dryland crops is also typical of epzscopus. Chasen (1935) included Sumatra within the range of C. episcopus but this has been questioned by White (1974) in view of the lack of positive records. It would be expected that these storks belonged to the race neglecta, of Java and Wallacea, but field observations of the bill colour suggest that they are nominate episcopus, presently known south only to penisular Thailand. This point requires checking. CICONIA STORMI White (1974) notes that museum specimens exist of Storm’s Storks Ciconia stormi from Sumatra. In November 1975 in Jambi I watched two storks, soaring over forest, which appeared from below, and against the light, to be all black except for the white under tail coverts and tail, and some white about the face. I could see no white neck as such, and there appeared to be some yellow or red about the face and bill. In October 1976 in Lampung I flushed a solitary stork from a puddle on a narrow enclosed track in dense logged primary forest, near the lower reaches of the Seputih river. The plumage of the Jambi birds identifies storm7, and the habitat of the Lampung bird is typical for stormi but would be most unusual for episcopus. Thus stormi and episcopus occur together in Sumatra and stormi is not exclusively interposing between two distinct populations of episcopus, as White has suggested. CAIRINA SCUTULATA The White-winged Wood Duck, whose presence in Sumatra has recently been reconfirmed (Holmes 1976), appears to be quite widely distributed in suitable habitat in Lampung province (see Holmes, in press). MACHEIRAMPHUS ALCINUS—LONCHURA PUNCTULATA nesting association On 24 June 1976 near Ketibung in southern Lampung, a Bat Hawk was seen to alight on its nest, where it was soon joined by its partner and mating took place. The nest was a bulky affair of sticks and twigs constructed on a main branch high in an isolated forest tree left standing in recently cleared lowland terrain. A pair of Spotted Munias Lonchura punctulata were present and had constructed their nest of dead grasses, etc. in the base of the hawk’s nest. METOPIDIUS INDICUS Sumatra is included within the range of the Bronze-winged Jacana by Chasen (1935), apparently on the basis of one specimen labelled Sumatra [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] 70 from the Wallace Collection in the British Museum (cat. Birds BM XXIV: 76). The label gives the date as 1862 but no details of locality can be traced. Medway & Wells (1976) omitted the island from its known range. On 21 November 1976 this jacana was common at a swamp at Bujung Tenuk near Menggala in North Lampung. The following January none was present there, but they were common at another swamp neatby, where birds were in pairs and courtship was observed. HIMANTOPUS HIMANTOPUS LEUCOCEPHALUS Three Black-winged Stilts were feeding on the muddy foreshore at Labu- han Maringgai on Lampung’s east coast on 18 January 1977. One adult bird had a pronounced black stripe on the back of the neck extending into a half collar, identifying it as the Austtalian subspecies /eucocephalus, which is known to extend west into Java and southern Borneo. Chasen (1935: 35) states that ““we do not admit the locality ‘Sumatra’ for this form”, but no reason is given. CHLIDONIAS LEUCOPTERUS Chasen (1935) confines the distribution of the White-winged Black Tern in Sumatra to the Straits of Malacca. On 19 April 1976 this tern was common at the top of Lampung Bay (mostly in full breeding plumage). Marsh terns, assumed to be this species, were also present at a small lake inland near Rumbia on 6 October, and others in Lampung Bay in late December. These records confirm that the species migrates through and overwinters in Sumatra proper. PTILINOPUS MELANOSPILA A pair of Black-naped Fruit Doves was seen on 19 April 1976 on Pulau Tegel, a small island in Lampung Bay 13 km due south of Tanjung Karang. The island is mostly forested but the doves were seen in a line of bushes separating a plot of grassland from the beach. The species ranges from Java eastwards and has not previously been recorded in Sumatra. Hoogerwerf (1969) comments that the dove was more commonly recorded in the Ujong Kulon reserve of West Java after the Second World War than before, suggesting that a small extension of popu- lation has occurred. I did not find the dove elsewhere in Lampung and pos- sibly it is confirmed in Sumatra to some forested islands and the coastal strip close to Java. TYTO ALBA Barn Owls were heard at night in Tanjung Karang on 21 May 1976, and at Lake Jepara in the east of Lampung on 1 July. Confirmation came when a live bird was brought to me on 18 October, having been freshly caught ona hill close to Tanjung Karang. This specimen is now in the Zoological Museum at Bogor, where it was kindly prepared and examined by Dr. S. Somadikarta. The 26 specimens of T.. a. javanica in that collection, all from Java, show considerable variation in colour, but the present bird, an adult male, is very slightly darker on the upperparts. The measurements agree with those of javanicus, and are larger than two specimens of sumbaensis from Sumba in the same collection, and one specimen of deroepstorff from the Southern Andaman Islands (Hume 1875). Chasen (1935) records that this owl is “‘of very doubtful occurrence in Sumatra and Borneo”; however in view of its striking increase in West Malaysia (D. R. Wells) and probably also in peninsular Thailand (Holmes 71 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] & Wells 1975), it seems likely that the Barn Owl is already widespread in the open plains of Sumatra. APUS PACIFICUS The Pacific Swift is a passage migrant through southern Sumatra, at least on the southward migration. On 5 October, several were seen near Jambi in 1975 and in Lampung in 1976, with further records during both these months. Stragglers may overwinter as a few were seen in Lampung in mid- January. Mees (1973) was unable to find any records of this swift in Sumatra, although it appeared on all the Sumatran lists; but he commented that “A. pacificus is bound to be found in Sumatra sooner or later”. ALCEDO CAERULESCENS The Small Blue Kingfisher was first recorded for Sumatra on 25 April 1976 when it was found to be common at a coralline beach backed by a narrow mangrove swamp on the west side of Lampung Bay. Subsequently birds were seen elsewhere in the bay on both sandy and muddy beaches. It is not confined to this bay, for on 19 January one was seen 3 km inland in the open swamps of the Penet river near Jepara, on the east coast. It is likely that this kingfisher is now quite widespread around the coast of Sumatra. Most of the species discussed here have affinities with the fauna of the neighbouring island of Java. It is reasonable to assume that A. speciosa, M. indicus and H. himantopus are either indigenous in southern Sumatra or at least of regular occurrence there. Ty/o alba, together with Czsticola exilis (Harvey & Holmes 1976), may have spread into Sumatra more recently, perhaps coinciding with widespread de-afforestation. Unfortunately I was unable to confirm records of four other species of Javanese affinity in Lam- pung, namely the Grey Teal Axas gibberifrons (near Jepara in June and January), a small cormorant, either Phalacrocorax niger ot P. sulcirostris (three near Jepara in January), the Indian Hanging Lorikeet Loriculus vernalis (coastal coconut groves in the southeastern corner of Lampung Bay in April) and perhaps also the Scatlet-breasted Flowerpecker Dicaem trochileum. Iam most grateful to Dr. G. F. Mees, Dr. S. Somadikarta and Dr. D. R. Wells for their assistance in assembling the evidence for this paper, to C. M. N. White for his comments on a first draft concerning Ciconia sp. and to R. F. Ollington for sending me his own records of water birds in Sumatra. References: Chasen, F. N. 1935. A handlist of Malaysian birds. Bull. Raffles Mus. 11. Harvey, W. G. & Holmes, D. A. 1976. Additions to the avifaunas of Sumatra and Kali- mantan, Indonesia. Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 96: 90-92. Holmes, D. A. 1976. A record of White-winged Wood Duck Ca/rina scutulata in Sumatta. Bull. Brit, Orn. Cl. 96: 88-89. — In press. A report on Cairina scutulata in Lampung province, Sumatra. Wildfowl. Holmes, D, A. & Wells, D. R. 1975. Further observations on the birds of South Thailand. Nat. Hist. Bull, Siam Soc. 26: 61-78. Hoogerwerf, A. 1969. On the ornithology of the Rhino Sanctuary Udjung Kulon in West Java (Indonesia). Nat. Hist. Bull. Siam Soc. 23: 26. Hume, A, O. (Ed.) 1875. Stray Feathers 3: 390-391. Medway, Lord & Wells, D. R. 1976. The Birds of the Malay Peninsula. Vol. 5. London, Witherby; Kuala Lumpur, University of Malaya Press. Mees, G. F. 1973. The status of two species of migrant swift in Java and Sumatra (Aves, Apodidae). Zool. Meded. 46: 197-207. Salomonsen, M. F. 1929. Quelques observations sur le genre Ardeola (Ardeides). Bull. Mus. Natn. Hist. Nat. Paris. Second Series. 1: 347-357. White, C. M. N. 1974. Three water birds of Wallacea. Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 94: 9-11. Address: The Old Rectory, Sudborough, Kettering, Northants, UK. [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(2)] 72 IN BRIEF Co-operation invited on the protection of the Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita Current distribution of the Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita is now limited to only two widely remote areas. The only known breeding site of the Eastern population is located in Birecik on the Euphrates river in southeast Turkey. Disturbances to the breeding sites and the extensive use of insecticides have led to a reduction of this population from 1000 to only 39 birds in the last 25 years. Bald Ibis have been observed in Syria (where there were breeding sites until about 1920), Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Yemen, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia and the Somali Republic. It is possible that breeding sites exist on the Saudi Arabian Red Sea coast, in Yemen, and in the border area between Ethiopia and Sudan. The Western population has a number of breeding sites in Morocco: I estimated there were 200-250 breeding pairs in 1975. Poaching and the cultivation of previously semi-arid feeding sites, as well as disturbance by tourists, have further decimated the remaining number of birds. In some colonies this has adversely affected the age composition of breeding pairs which, in many cases, ate now so old that it must be feared that these colonies will not survive. In order to plan and implement a World Wildlife Fund project for the protection of the last-surviving Bald Ibis, I am collecting all available infor- _ mation, including that of earlier years. Naturally, the assistance of ornitholo- gists and bird observers will be invaluable to me, and they are therefore kindly requested to send me any observations of the Bald Ibis they may have. The locations of breeding sites will not be passed on by me or published in any way. If requested, any other information will also be treated confidentially and will not be released for publication. Please write to: Mr. Udo Hirsch, Theodor-Brauer-Str. 35, 5000 Cologne 80, W. Germany, or at World Wildlife Fund, Conservation Department, CH-1110 Morges, Switzerland. 10 March 1977. BOOKS RECEIVED Goodets, J. 1977. Where to Watch Birds. Pp. 1-343. Maps. Pan Books Ltd., London £1- 50. Paperback of this well-known and useful book, first published in 1967, on bird watching areas in the counties of Britain. ; Gooders, J. 1977. How to Watch Birds. Pp. 1-155. Illustrated. Pan Books Ltd., London. 95p. Paperback of the companion volume to Where to Watch Birds, first published in 1975 as an elementary introduction to a serious approach to bird-watching. Owen, M. 1977. Wildfowl of Europe. Pp. 1-256. 54 colour plates by Hilary Burn. 49 maps, many line drawings, diagrams. Macmillan: London. {15 (£12 until 31.xii.77). A very successful compromise between the decorative and the plain scientific volume— tastefully and accurately illustrated in colour and black and white, with an authoritative text covering evolution, population make-up, migration, behaviour, ecology, etc., with a comprehensive, yet pleasantly discursive and commendably succinct, account of each of the 55 species of swans, geese and duck of Europe, and clear informative maps of distribution. Serle, W., Morel, G. J. & Hartwig, W. 1977. A Field Guide to the Birds of West Africa. Pp. 1-351. 515 species illustrated, 335 in colour, end paper maps, hard water-resistant binding. Collins: London. £5-95. " This long-awaited and invaluable illustrated field guide by two recognised authorities covets the vast area of southern Mauritania—Chad, Senegal—Nigeria, Cameroons, Central African Republic, Gaboon and the Congo. Of the 1097 species recorded therein, 726 ate included_in the main text, the remainder treated more briefly as “‘allied species” or men- tioned in the comprehensive checklist. The main systematic list includes identification, voice, distribution and habitat, and nesting (no breeding dates) of each species. Lift ign sh Th die I tts esr? ? boat tivl eR Na ‘ fate 2 2 NOTICE TO CONTRIBUTORS Papers, whether by Club Members or by non-members, should be sent to the Editor, Dr. J. F. 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Peal, 24 Creighton Avenue, London N10 1NU. Published by the BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB and printed by The Caxton and Holmesdale Press, 104 London Road Sevenoaks Kent. —_— CU ISSN 0007 - 1595 Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club Edited by Dr. J. F. MONK Volume 97 No.3 September 1977 FORTHCOMING MEETINGS Tuesday, 15 November 1977 at 6.30 p.m. for 7 p.m., at the Senior Common Room, South Side, Imperial College, South Kensington (entrance on the south side of Prince’s Gardens, S.W.7, on the east side of Exhibition Road). Mrs. Stephanie Tyler, pH.p., on the avifauna of Ethiopia and describing especially observations in Tigre and Eritrea. Those wishing to attend should send a cheque for £3.90 a person to the Hon. Secretary with their accept- ance on the enclosed slip to arrive not Jater than the first post on Thurs- day 10 November. Tuesday, 17 January 1976 di 6.30 p.m. tory p.m. Dr A G. Harrison on “Indian Interlude’. COMMITTEE P. Hogg (Chairman) Dr. G. Beven (Vice-Chairman) R. E. F. Peal (Hon. Secretary) M. St.J. Sugg (Hon. Treasurer) Dr. J. F. Monk ( Editor) Mrs. J. D. Bradley C. E. Wheeler B. Gray V. F. Mann (i We hy, “oN 73 Shy. s o Bill aps 1977: 97(3)] Bulletin of the BRITISH ORNITHOL oles CLUB Vol. 97 No.3 Published : 20 September 1977 The seven hundred and seventh Meeting of the Club was held at The Goat Tavern, 3 Stafford Street, London, W.1, on Tuesday, 19 July 1977 at 7 p.m. Chairman: Mr. P. Hogg; present 22 members and 6 guests. Mr. Stanley Cramp, 0.B.E., spoke on the Handboo® of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (The Birds of the Western Palaearctic). He described the editorial organization and explained the nature of the material being included, together with the layout. He displayed specimen pages and some original drawings of birds of prey for Volume II. There was an interesting discussion and Mr. Cramp invited further comments by members after the publication shortly of Volume I. The voice of the courser Rhinoptilus cinctus by R. J. Dowsett, Francoise Lemaire & BR. Shernstedt Received 15 February 1977 Descriptions of the voice of the Three-banded (or Heuglin’s) Courser Rhinoptilus cinctus have been published by Dowsett (1969) and Vernon (1972). Dowsett described what was apparently the alarm call of disturbed birds, and Vernon a nocturnal social call, presumably the song. Both vocali- sations are basically a “wicky-wicky-wicky-wick”’, the song continuing for much longer than the alarm and accelerating before dying away. Both types of vocalisation have been heard frequently at night in Zambia by Dowsett, and by Stjernstedt, who has tape recorded them. Dowsett’s (1969) note was prompted by Benson & Irwin (1967), who cast doubt upon earlier published descriptions of the voice of the Three-banded Courser. Benson’s misgivings arose from an unpublished tape recording by the late Myles North, made at Maungu in southeastern Kenya, and suspected by North to be of a call of the Nubian Nightjar Caprimulgus nubicus. It is not clear what evidence North had to support his supposition, and to Benson’s eats the tape presented vocalisations very similar to those he had previously attributed to the courser while in Ethiopia; but Benson assumed he must have been in error. Vetnon (1972) has now established the basic repertoire of R. cinctus, and it is clear that the vocalisations Benson heard in Ethiopia were indeed those of this courser. However, the identity of the bird on North’s tape has remained in question. Through the kind assistance of Stuart Keith, we have been able to examine a copy of North’s tape, which North edited in 1963, but never published. It contains the songs of nine African breeding nightjars and the European C. europaeus. On this tape North divides the Caprimulgus songs into two types, the “whistling” and the “chuiring”, though the “Nubian Nightjat”’ recordings do not fit into either of these categories: if they were indeed produced by a nightjar, then they are clearly anomalous, since all Caprimulgus songs described to date consist of an unvarying repetition of a note or phrase, [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] 74 6 h Rm mm Am <2 af RELY 2 Coane ia a a — Da 7 See Po 6 4 1 j lal laid ar. 1 i L Bert W ig) VP ary ne g8e 2 a al i Wn “i \" nr fy ee ai | w a eh F sec Figure 1. The voice of the courser Rhinoptilus cinctus. Sonograms of the jsocial call of Rhinoptilus cinetus: (a) & (c) Lochinvar National Park, southern Zambia (Stjernstedt) ; (b) & (d) Maungu, southeastern Kenya (North). (a) & (b) ate calls, (c) & (d) songs. Kuz 2 AVAAAAV TATA ire AM 1 Sec 7 Sec Figure 2. Sonograms of the two basic types of nightjar song: (a) churring, Mocambique Nightjar Caprimulgus fossii, Kalomo, southern Zambia (Stjernstedt); (b) whistling, Fiery- necked Nightjar C’. pectoralis, Kruger Park, South Africa (Haagner 1961). 15 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] To our ears the vocalisations of North’s bird are identical to those we know to be made by the Three-banded Courser. Lemaire has produced sonograms from the North tape and from a tape of undoubted Three- banded Courser made by Stjernstedt in southern Zambia. Representative extracts are presented in Figure 1. Both samples present similar repeated “kui” calls at the same pitch, with only a difference in delivery, which might be caused by different intensities of motivation. The songs are of the same length, and show the same pattern of rhythm, i.e. an accelerated repetition of one note, rising then decreasing in volume and decreasing in pitch. The two vocalisations are so clearly identical that it is difficult to believe they are not made by closely related, if not identical, species. Lemaire has produced sonograms from tapes by Stjernstedt and by Haagner of two other nightjar songs (Fig. 2), which can be compared with the vocalisations attributed to the Nubian Nightjar by North; clearly thete is no resemblance. Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1952: 671) describe the song of the Nubian Nightjar as “a liquid ‘chukku-chukku-chukkw’ ”’, as described by Butler (1909: 400), who in fact placed an exclamation mark after each “chukku”’. He found the nightjar near the Red Sea coast, and saw or heard it evety evening. It was the only nightjar he found there, and he collected a single male to confirm his identification. Although we know of no authentic tape of the Nubian Nightjar’s song, there seems to be no reason to doubt Butler’s version. It appears to be a churring song and quite unlike the North tape. In short, we have no doubt that North’s recording is of a Three-banded Courser, since the sonograms agree closely and the species is known to occur in southeastern Kenya where North made his recording. Benson & Irwin (1967) emphasised the need for extra care in the identi- fication of calling nocturnal birds. Many species of nightjar are very difficult to identify with certainty by sight at night. Moreover, several different species may congregate in an area, and so it is essential that the singing individual be identified and no other. Nightjars can often be induced to come close by playing back a tape, and it might then be possible to see clearly, capture or shoot the unidentified bird. These precautions are frequently even required to authenticate tape recordings of diurnal species, and it is un- fortunate that there are a number of serious errors of identification on several commercially available records and tapes of African birds. Weare grateful to Professor J. C. Ruwet and the Laboratoire d’Ethologie et de Psycholo- gie animale, University of Liége for facilities to produce sonograms. Mr. G. Stuart Keith kindly made available a copy of North’s tape, and Mr. C. W. Benson has read this paper. References: Benson, C. W. & Irwin, M. P. S. 1967. A contribution to the ornithology of Zambia. Zambia Museum Papers: 30-31. Butler, A. L. 1909. Contributions to the Ornithology of the Sudan—No. IV. On birds observed on the Red Sea coast in May 1908. Lbis 9 ser. (3): 389-400. Dowsett, R. J. 1969. The call of the Three-banded Courser Rhinoptilus cinctus. Puku 5: 222. Haagner, C. H. 1961. Birds of the Kruger Park. XTR 1 7044. International Library of African Music, Roodepoort, Transvaal, South Africa. Commercial recording. Mackworth-Praed, C. W. & Grant, C. H. B. 1952. Birds of Eastern and North-eastern Africa. African Handbook of birds. Series I, Vol. I. London: Longmans. Vernon, C. J. 1972. The call of the Three-banded Courser. Ostrich 43: 68. Address: Livingstone Museum, P.O. Box 498, Livingstone, Zambia [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] 76 The occurrence of the Crimson Fruitcrow Haematoderus militaris in Surinam by F’. Hlaverschmidt Received 24 March 1977 According to the most recent classification, the family Cotingidae consists of 79 species. Because of the paucity or even the lack of recent records from their limited range, six may be in danger of extinction (Snow 1976). One of the latter is the Crimson Fiuitcrow Alaematoderus militaris. It is about the size of a Jackdaw Corvus monedula, and the male is almost entirely deep crimson. According to Snow (1976), it is known from a small number of places in the State of Para in northern Brazil, and was recorded in the nineteenth century and early this century in the Guianas. There ate no recent records from Guyana (Snyder 1966). However, it still occurs in neighbouring Surinam (Haverschmidt 1968) where I saw it five times between 1946 and 1968 :—10 August 1967, a g in savanna forest a few miles west of Albina on the west bank of the Maroni River; 24 August 1961, a J in high forest near Phedra on the west bank of the Surinam River, where I also saw 2 birds in high forest on 26 April 1964; 20 January 1962 a d in high forest near Rama (about 10 miles south of Phedra); 4 November 1961 a $ in savanna forest a few miles north of Kraka in the region of the Surinam River. In this same atea Miss Dr. F. Feekes, who studied for some years the behaviour of Oropendolas and Caciques in Surinam, saw a male in savanna forest near Powakka on 19 December 1973. Mr. T. H. Davis observed a bitd on 4 April 1970 in the region of the Surinam River along the Brokopondo road about 100 m east of the Afobakka Highway, and again on 5 April 1973 another along the Afobakka Highway c. 8 km north of the Brokopondo turning (pers. comm.). All the birds I saw were sitting on the tops of trees and I never heard them calling. I also received a § (in spirit) shot about mid August 1962 at an un- known locality in high forest near the upper Coppename River. It is pre- served as a skeleton in the Museum of Zoology of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. It is obvious from these records that the Crimson Fruitcrow still occurs in widely separated localities in Surinam and in high forest as well as in savanna forest. The opening up of the interior of the country is being accelerated by the building of roads, and this is inevitably followed by the cutting and burning of the surrounding forest for short time agriculture. There is no cause for complacency over the future survival of this magnifi- cent bird. Up till now it has not been tecorded in any of the nature reserves which have been established during the last years. I wish to thank Miss Feekes and Mr. Davis for permitting me to publish their observations. References: Haverschmidt, F. 1968. Birds of Surinam. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd. nis r W. 1976. The Web of Adaptation. Bird Studies in the American Tropics. London: ollins. Snyder, D. E. 1966. The Birds of Guyana. Salem. Peabody Museum. Address: Wolfskuilstraat 16, 7731 AT OMMEN, Holland 17 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] Notes on tool-using by Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus by Jeffery Boswall Received 25 March 1977 It is worth placing on record that the use of stones to break open an egg of the Ostrich Struthio camelus was experimentally induced in a wild Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus on the football pitch at the Mitchell-Cotts estate neat Tendaho, Wollo Province, Ethiopia, on about 9 May 1970. The shell of an Ostrich egg was purchased in a local curio shop, filled with water, sealed, put out and almost immediately bombarded by a local Egyptian Vulture. No notes were made but a film showing the behaviour was taken (Fisher 1970). The sequence with the vulture bombarding the egg runs about 14 minutes. The film implies that the behaviour was seen in the Awash National Park, Shoa Province, but in fact it was observed near Tendaho, well to the north. The behaviour of the bird appears to be similar to that des- cribed by the Lawick-Goodalls (1966, 1968). Alcock (1970), writing on the possible origin of tool-using by the Egyptian Vulture, attributes to the Lawick-Goodalls the view that the bird’s use of stones was “restricted to a limited population of vultures” and that “stone- throwing by vultures is widespread in only one area”. For fear that this misquotation be perpetuated it is worth drawing attention to the fact that the Lawick-Goodalls (1968) specifically say “. . . we have not yet learned whether stone-throwing is a local custom or common to the species as a whole”’. Baxter ef a/. (1969) drew attention to a nineteenth century reference to the use of tools by the Egyptian Vulture by Wood (1877), who, it seemed likely, had heard or read a first or second hand account of the behaviour. The account was clearly that of Sir James Alexander quoted by Andersson (1856). On the authority of the natives about the Orange River in southwest Africa, Sir James says that when the Ostriches leave their nests in the middle of the day “a white Egyptian Vulture may be seen soaring in mid-air, with a stone between his talons. Having surveyed the ground below him, he suddenly lets fall the stone, then follows it in rapid descent. Let the hunter run to the spot, and he will find a nest of probably a score of eggs, some of them broken by the vulture”. This method must await confirmation by modern observers, but I think we can safely accept that the vultures were responsible for break- ing the Ostrich eggs by one means or another. Another nineteenth century reference is that of Myers (1876). He anda companion in March 1875 concealed themselves near the nest of an Ostrich near Kassala in the Sudan, intent upon shooting the returning bird. “After an hour .. . two visitors in the form of vultuies pounced down upon the nest, and, apparently quite satisfied with the certainty of a quiet feast, commenced operations by a personal hunt amongst their own featheis, then a general survey was made of the white objects before them; and finally having retired for a moment, each returned with a stone in its beak and set to work to hammer a hole through the shell of an ege”’. Thus the use of tools by Egyptian Vultures is established in localities as far apart as 5,000 km in Africa. Since the birds respond so readily to eggs [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] 78 put out for them (Lawick-Goodalls 1966, 1968, Richard Brock (pers. comm). and this note), it would be interesting to experiment elsewhere, particularly in areas where the Ostrich is now extinct and even perhaps in places where it has never been recorded but where the vulture lives, for example in Spain. References : Alcock, J. 1970. The origin of tool-using by Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus. Ibis Li? '¢ 42. Andersson, C. J. 1856. Lake Ngami or Explorations and Discovery during Four Years W ander- ings in the Wilds of South Western Africa. Hurst and Beckett: London. Baxter, R. M., Urban, E. K. & Brown, L. H. 1969. A 19th Century reference to tool-using by the Egyptian Vulture. //. A. Africa Nat. Hist. Soc. 27: 231. Fisher, D. 1970. Wildlife Safari to Ethiopia 3: Africa’s Newest National Park. One 16mm., 25 min. colour film. B.B.C. Lawick-Goodall, Jane van & Hugo van. 1966. Use of tools by Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus. Nature 212: 1468-9. Lawick-Goodiall, J. van & van Lawick, H. 1968. Tool-using bird: the Egyptian Vulture. Nat. Geogr. 133(5): 631-641. Myers, A. B. R. 1876. Life with the Hamran Arabs. Smith, Elder & Co: London. Wood, J. G. 1877. Wood’s Bible Animals. J. W. Lyon & Co: Ontario. Address: Natural History Unit, B.B.C., Whiteladies Road, Bristol BS8 2LR, England. First record of the Knot Ca/dris canutus, and other records, from Belize (British Honduras) by Richard Erickson Received 26 March 1977 The distribution of the avifauna of Belize has been analysed by Russell (1964), and more recent records have been published in three subsequent papers (Barlow et al. 1969, 1970, 1972) and in recent Christmas Count issues of American Birds (Young 1973—1976b). Young’s data are included here together with observations I made while visiting Belize in late December 1974, and which affect the published status of some species. Scientific nomenclature follows Morony e¢ a/. (1975) except in the genus Sterna where amended by the American Ornithologists’ Union (1976). Eupocimus aLBus White Ibis. Ten, including several immatures, were flushed from mangroves just south of Stann Creek on 26 December. Al- though found locally throughout most of Mexico and Central America, Russell lists no recent records and none from the Stann Creek District. Recorded by Young 1973-75 at Christmas at Belize City. Anas acuta Pintail. About 30 present on a lagoon in mangroves just south of Stann Creek on 26 December. A rare to uncommon winter visitor in Central America, Russell mentions no more than six together at one time. SPIZAETUS TYRANNUS Black Hawk Eagle. An adult I saw on 29 December c. 3 km east of Belmopan on the Hummingbird Highway is the third record for Belize. Russell cites one collected at nearby Middlesex in February 1923, and Young records singletons at Belize City 26 Dec 1974 and at Belmopan 31 Dec 1975. GALLINULA CHLOROPUS Moorhen. Eight were counted on several ponds on the Northern Highway between Orange Walk and Belize City on 23 December, and three on a pond c. 8 km west of Belize City on 24 December. 79 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] Russell listed several sight records from two localities, and there are now three April specimens from Rockstone Pond near Belize City (Barlow ef a/. 1969). Young gives 1973-76 Christmas sight records at Belize City, including no less than 60 on 27 Dec 1975. The species is obviously more common than once thought. CATOPTROPHORUS SEMIPALMATUS W//et. One present at Belize City on 23 December, another at the mouth of Stann Creek 26 December and four there the next day. Russell lists very few records and only in February, April and August. Young records it for Christmas 1974 and 1975 in very small numbers at Belize City. CALIDRIS CANUTUS Knot. One with terns and other shorebirds at the mouth of Stann Creek on 27 December is the first record for Belize. Rarely reported, almost solely as a migrant, between the United States and its major wintering grounds in South America (Bond 1971, Peterson & Chalif 1973), there are no records for the Caribbean coast of Guatemala (Land 1970) and only one for the Caribbean coast of Honduras (Monroe 1968). Its inclusion in a list of the birds of Belize by Davis (1968) is apparently an unsubstantiated assumption. CALIDRIS ALBA Sanderling. Forty on the beach at Stann Creek on 27 December. Surprisingly, Russell lists only two previous records: North Two Cays in 1864 (date and number seen unknown) and four at Stann Creek 28 Mar 1956. Not uncommon throughout most of Central America (Peterson & Chalif 1973). LARUS DELAWARENSIS ing-billed Gull. A sub-adult and an immature at Belize City 23 December. Only two previous records: five at Corozal 15 Aug 1960, and a sub-adult at Belize City 22 Aug 1961 (Russell). Rarely found in the Atlantic south of the northern Gulf coast of Mexico (Petersen & Chalif 1973) and the northern West Indies (Bond 1971). There is only one record from Guatemala (Land 1970) and thtee from Honduras (Brown & Montoe 1974). GELOCHELIDON NILOTICA Guw/l-billed Tern. One at Belize City 24 December. Russell lists only two records: five collected from a flock of ten at Stann Creek 28 Mar 1956 and two at Belize City 7-9 Aug 1957. Uncommon throughout much of Mexico and Central America in winter (Peterson & Chalif 1973). STERNA CASPIA Caspian Tern. One ptesent with Royal Terns Sverna maxima at the mouth of Stann Creek 26-27 December. Russell listed only three records, all to the north, and Young recorded two at Christmas in 1973 and three in 1974. Land (1970) shows no records from the Caribbean coast of Guatemala, and Monroe (1968) lists only three from Honduras, which are the southernmost for Central America, though they do winter on the Caribbean coast of South America (Meyer de Schauensee 1970). STERNA SANDVICENSIS Sandwich Tern. Six at Belize City 24 December and 15 at the mouth of Stann Creek 27 December. Russell lists only four records, none south of Belize City or the Northern Two Cays. Barlow ef a/. (1972) reported two at the mouth of Stann Creek on 18 Dec 1970. Listed as rather rate in southeastern Mexico (Edwards 1972) and Guatemala (Land 1970), and not recorded until recently from Honduras (Brown & Monroe 1974). [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] 80 CoLUMBA FLAVIROSTRIS ed-billed Pigeon. One seen at the southern out- skirts of Stann Creek 26 December is the southernmost record for Belize. Russell lists one record for 19 Aug 1960 at Corozal. More recently Barlow et al. (1970) reported three or four at Rockstone Pond between 8 February and 25 June 1969 and Young records singles at Belize City Christmas 1973, 1975 and 1976. Occurs as far south as Costa Rica (A.O.U. 1957) but prefers more arid regions. Land (1970) mentions no records for the Caribbean slope of Guatemala, and Monroe (1968) considered them uncommon in arid interior valleys on the Caribbean slope of Honduras. CHORDEILES sp. Four nighthawks flying high over Stann Creek at dusk on 24 December and five the next evening we1e probably minor, though the Antillean form, gaudlachii, cannot be excluded. Russell and other authors give no winter records of either form north of South America, but Young records the “Common Nighthawk”’ at Belize City every Christmas 1973-76. CHLOROSTILBON CANIVETII. Fork-tailed Emerald. Two males and a female were seen just north of the Sittee River on the Southern Highway 26 Decem- ber. Widespread throughout southern Mexico and Central America, Russell, however, has no records south of Manatee Lagoon. AMAZILIA RUTILA Cinnamon Llummingbird. At least two present at Stann Creek 24-27 December. Russell and Young both give few records for mainland Belize and none from this far south. Apparently absent from the Caribbean slope of Guatemala (Land 1970) and northwestern Honduras . (Monroe 1968). MELANERPES PYGMAEUS ed-vented Woodpecker. Belize is the southern limit for this very local species. A male at Maskalls 29 December is only the fourth record. Russell lists two collected at Belize City in 1931 and Barlow et al. (1969) another near there in 1960 and one from Rockstone Pond in 1967. Hirunbo rustica Swallow. Fifteen counted on the Northern Highway between Orange Walk and Belize City on 23 December and three more at Stann Creek 27 December. Russell lists no records after 24 November but Young has Christmas records at Belize City for 1973-76. Uncommon in winter north of Panama (A.O.U. 1957). Mo.oTurus AENEUS Sronzed Cowbird. About 25 birds together at Benque Viejo, near the Guatemalan border, on 28 December. Russell mentions only one, undated, record from nearby Cayo. Barlow ef a/. (1969) report one col- lected at Rockstone Pond 16 June 1968 and Young has recorded a few at Christmas at Belize City 1974-76. Widespread throughout much of Central America but rare in the Petén (Land 1970) and not recorded from Tikal (Smithe 1966). PASSERCULUS SANDWICHENSIS Savannah Sparrow. Seven in a grassy field at the north end of Stann Creek on 27 December. Russell considered it an occasional winter visitant and listed few records, including four in a grassy field at Stann Creek 28 Mar 1956. Monroe (1968) lists very few records for Honduras and considered it a rare winter visitant. Land (1970) shows no records for the Caribbean slope of Guatemala and Miller et a/. (1957) listed the subspecies savanna as a spatse winter visitor to the Atlantic coast of — Mexico, including records for Yucatan and Quintana Roo. 81 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] Acknowledgements: Thanks ate especially due to Tom Schulenberg for initially suggesting I write this note and for his continued encouragement and aid in searching the literature. J. V. Remsen also provided useful advice. References: American Ornithologists’ Union. 1957. Checklist of North American Birds. Fifth Edition. Baltimore, Md. — 1976. Thirty-third supplement to the A.O.U. checklist of North American birds. Auk 93: 875-8709. Barlow, J. C., Dick, J. A., Baldwin, D. H. & Davis, R. A. 1969. New records of birds from British Honduras. [bis 111: 399-402. Barlow, J. C., Dick, J. A. & Pendergast, E. 1970. Additional records of birds from British Honduras (Belize). Condor 72: 371-372. Barlow, J. C., Dick, J. A., Weyer, D. & Young, W. F. 1972. New records of birds from British Honduras (Belize), including a Skua. Condor 74: 486-487. Bond, J. 1971. Birds of the West Indies. Second edition, Collins: London. Brown, H. C, & Monroe, B. L. 1974. Bird records from Honduras. Condor 76: 348-349. Davis, L. I. 1968. Birds of Yucatan and the Peten. Published by author, 2502 Keating Lane, Austin, Texas. Edwards, E. P. 1972. A Field Guide to the Birds of Mexico. E. P. Edwards: Sweet Briar, Va. Land, H. C. 1970. Birds of Guatemala. Livingston Publ. Co: Wynnewood, Pa. Meyer de Schauensee, R. 1970. _A Guide to the Birds of South America. Livingston Publ. Co.: Wynnewood, Pa. Miller, A. H., Friedmann, H., Griscom, L. & Moore, R. T. 1957. Distributional checklist of the birds of Mexico. Part II. Pac. Coast Avifauna: 33. Monroe, B. L. Jr. 1968. A distributional survey of the birds of Honduras. Ornithol. Monogr. oy: Motrony, J. J. Jr., Bock, W. J. & Farrand, J. Jr. 1975. Reference List of Birds of the World. American Museum of Natural History: New York. Peterson, R. T. & Chalif, E. L. 1973. A Field Guide to Mexican Birds. Houghton Miffln Co.: Boston. Russell, S. M. 1964. A distributional study of the birds of British Honduras. Ornithol. Monogr. 1. Smithe, F. B. 1966. The Birds of Tikal. Nat. Hist. Press: Garden City, N.Y. Young, W. F. 1973. Christmas bird count. Belize City, Belize. Am. Birds 27: 538-539; 1974, Am. Birds 28: 550-551; 1975, Am. Birds 29: 596-597; 1976a, Am. Birds 30: 624-625; 1976b, Belmopan, Belize. Am. Birds 30: 625-626. Address: Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Hayward, CA 94542, U.S.A. On the ege of Vidua purpurascens by J. F. R. Colebrook- Robjent Received 4 April 1977 Nicolai (1964) and Payne (1973) have established that the three indigobirds (genus Vidua, subgenus Hypochera) of southern Africa each mimic the calls of and parasitize a different species of Tagonosticta firefinch. Vidua purpurascens is approporiately called the Dusky Indigobird in Payne’s monograph and he writes under this species (1973: 235): “All individuals that I heard and recorded in the field and also all ten males heard in captivity mimicked the calls and songs of L. rhodopareia’’. It would appear from this work, and also Friedmann (1960) and McLachlan & Liversidge (1970) that the eggs of V. purpurascens ate undescribed, although Payne recoids uncalcified oviduct eggs from all the indigobirds, including a white shelled egg from V’. pur- purascens in Rhodesia, which was broken. At 09.00 on 13 March 1977 a male Pink-backed Firefinch Lagonosticta rhodopareia was flushed at my feet from a typical grass domed nest just above the ground in the centre of a thick tuft of green grass. The nest was under a [Bul/. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] 82 Mfuti tree Brachystegia bohmii in a flowerbed in my garden, which borders somewhat disturbed Miombo woodland, near Choma, Zambia. The nest was not closely examined until 15 March when it was found to contain four eggs, obviously now deserted. All four eggs are very much alike and it is extremely doubtful that a parasitic egg would have been detected without careful examination, though in fact one of them was that of an indigobird, evidently V. purpurascens, the only species of indigobird I have noted on this farm in over five years residence. Before being blown the eggs of the parasite differed from the host’s in a number of ways: the /zdua egg appeared to have a paler yolk and the diameter of the ait space was smaller, measuring ¢. 5-5 mm against c. 7-5-8-0 mm for the firefinch’s eggs; the Vzdua egg was more rounded at both ends and with larger pores and also had protuberances which are lacking in the host’s eggs; conversely, the eggs of the firefinch were mote oval and pointed at the narrow end. On puncturing the eggs with a pin there was a marked difference in shell thickness, that of the Vzdya requiring greatet pressure to pierce it. On emptying the eggs there was found to be no discernable difference in yolk colour, the apparently paler yolk of the parasite’s egg being due to its thicker shell. It must be emphasised, however, that these distinctions are extremely subtle and are likely to be overlooked by anyone not particularly looking for differences. There are no breeding records for V. purpurascens in Benson ez. al. (1971), though birds with active gonads have been collected from January to March and in May. Previously, I had found only five nests with eggs of L. rhodo- pareia since 1970, all in the Choma District, three in February, and one each in March and May; four were C/4 and one C/5, none of which wete para- sitized. Egg shell weights of the Village Indigobird V. chalybeata are significantly heavier, on average, than those of its small host, the Red-billed Firefinch L. senegala (Colebrook-Robjent, in prep). In the present record the eggs of the Pink-backed Fitefinch are slightly larger (certainly longer) than the egg of the Dusky Indigobird, but they weighed less than the parasitic egg, as clearly shown below. All shells were weighed on a Mettler H 10 T™ scale. Egg size Shell weight (in mu) (in gnis) Vidua purpurascens: EGA xX. 1250 uOTa Lagonosticta rhodopareia: 15-8 X 11°6 "O50 15,00. 0129 -056 150k de "053 Acknowledgements: 1 am grateful to Dr. G. W. Howard, Department of Biology, Uni- versity of Zambia, who kindly allowed me the use of his Mettler scale. References: Benson, C. W., Brooke, R. K., Dowsett, R. J. & Irwin, M. P. S. 1971. The Birds of Zambia. London: Collins. Friedmann, H. 1960. The Parasitic Weaverbirds. Bul]. U.S. Nain. Mus. 223. McLachlan, G. R. & Liversidge, R. 1970. Roberts’ Birds of South Africa. Cape Town: John Voelcker Bird Book Fund. Nicolai, J. 1964. Der Brutparasitismus der Viduinae als ethologisches Problem. Zeétschr. f. Tierpsychol, 21: 129-204. Payne, R. B. 1973. Behaviour, mimetic songs and song dialects and relationships of the patsitic indigobirds (Vidua) of Aftica. A.O.U. Ornith. Monog. 11. Address: Musumanene, P.O. Box 303, Choma, Zambia. - — © 83 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] Mascicapa williamsoni Deignan; a reappraisal by D. BR. Wells Received 4 April 1977 Among eastern continental forms of the Asian Brown Flycatcher Muscicapa latirostris, Deignan (1957) assigned tropical resident status to M. /. siamensis known from the highlands of northern Thailand and southern Vietnam, to an unnamed population said to resemble Palaearctic M. /. /atirostris in peninsular Malaysia, and to a redder, ventrally streaked but clearly related bird of wide Southeast Asian distribution which he named Mauscicapa williamsoni. This last named, new, species remained unrecognised in the field until 1 September 1966 when an immature was mist-netted in a wooded suburban garden near Malacca, peninsular Malaysia, and killed there the following day by a cat (Medway & Wells 1970). Identification was confirmed from British Museum (Natural History) paratypes by Mrs. B. P. Hall (za itt. 1969). In 1975 others were recognised in similar habitat near Kuala Lumpur and on Penang island, and two specimens were collected that year at Frase1’s Hill (3° 43’ N), Pahang state. Further comparison of these recent acquisitions with most of Deignan’s type series, including the holotype (ANSP 127964), plus additional material from the Field and American Museums, Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences and University of Singapore, has revealed deficiencies in the original description. Adult. Entire upper body from forehead milk-chocolate-brown, faintly bloomed vinaceous in a fresh-plumaged recent skin, slightly rufescent in older material. In all specimens upper tail-coverts a shade more rufescent than elsewhere. Upper wing-coverts dark brown: lesser and median coverts margined chocolate-brown (distinctly rufescent in some skins), greater covertts margined a paler, buff-brown. Remiges dark brown, basal half to two-thirds of the inner webs pinkish buff; secondaries tipped and externally margined buff, most conspicuously on the proximal feathers. Rectrices dark brown finely margined chocolate-brown on the outer webs. Eye-ring pinkish buff; lores off-white, finely tipped brown; sides of head and body to flanks chocolate-brown; chin to under tail-coverts white to buff-white with medium to broad, adolescent chocolate-brown streaks over the breast. Chin and throat vary in the extent to which they are more finely streaked. Thighs and under wing-coverts pinkish buff. Feet blackish; claws dark horn; upper mandible blackish horn, lower mandible yellow suffused dark horn at the extreme tip. Iris dark brown. TABLE: Measurements (mm) from Muscicapa williamsoni and related taxa M. williamsoni M., 1. siamensis M. 1. latirostris 10 6g 429 3 df 11g9 Wing-length 68-73 (71) 68-71 (69) 68-70 68-72 (70) Tail-length 44-52 (49) 46-49 (48) 46-48 40-50 (47) Tarsus 13-15 (14) 13-15 (14) 13-14 14-15 (14) Bill-length —_7-5—8-7 (8-1) 7°4-8-0(7°8) —-7-4-8°2 Grp 7 C7 4) Bill-width 4°6-5°7 (5°2) $:0-5°8 (5:3) — 4°8-5-2 4°3-5°5 (5°2) Notes: Wing-length is maximum chord. Bill-length is from tip to anterior margin of nares and bill-width is across the upper mandible at the latter level. Averages ate given in brackets. [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] 84 Immature. Fledgling body plumage, seen only in one specimen, is buff- spotted. After post-juvenile moult head and body are as in adults although the 1966 specimen form Malacca is more rufescent overall and has narrower streaks on the underparts. Primary coverts tipped and greater coverts edged and broadly tipped rufous-buff, palest on the inner feathers. Remiges extern- ally margined and tipped creamy buff, finely on the primaries, broadly and conspicuously towards the inner secondaries. Rectrices finely margined rufous-buff and conspicuously tipped creamy buff. Measurements. See Table 1. Range. Southern Burma (Pegu district), southern Vietnam (Saigon), central and southern Thailand (Bangkok district, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Phangnga and Krabi provinces), peninsular Malaysia (Penang, Pahang, Selangor and Malacca states), Sumatra (Medan district and Siberut island—ZDUS collection) and Sarawak (First Division—SM collection). There are no records from the Philippines ¢f Medway & Wells 1976); the skin from Negros island discussed by Deignan (1957) is M. /. randi. Habitat and Behaviour. Specimens come from sea-level to 1300 m a.s.l., though most recent encounters in Malaysia have been in the lowlands, in wooded gardens and on the edge of disturbed forest. In my own garden near Kuala Lumpur up to two immatures were present on most days between 26 July and 6 August and an adult was seen on 22 August 1975. All frequented the interior crowns of ornamental trees (Spondias, Adenanthera and Pelto- phorum) 2-5 m from the ground and commonly foraged from perches later used by wintering MM. /. Jatirosiris. Prey was captured in short sallying flights with a slightly greater tendency than in /atrostris to pick directly from bark and leaf surfaces and a lesser tendency to return to the original perch. They were intermittently attacked by resident Pied Trillers La/age nigra and the leaf- searching warbler Gerygone sulphurea, and one noisy intraspecific confronta- tion and chase flight between the two immatures was seen on 6 August. Vocalizations included a brief, thin ¢s7, a buzzing chichichichi similar to the dry chitter of wintering /atvrostris, and soft, prolonged subsong by the adult on 22 August. Though I could not compare them in the field directly, at fairly close range separation of both adult and young wi/iamsoni from paler, greyer wintering M. /. latirostris would not have been difficult. The recent sightings and material similarly invalidate Vaurie’s objection (in Mayr 1971; see also Amadon & DuPont 1970) that wé//amsoni has been inadequately separated from szamensis; tufescence in williamsoni is clearly neither transient nor due to foxing. Three scamensis, all collected more than 40 years ago, are paler, mote fawn-brown above than any post-fledgling stage of wz//iamsoni and barely a shade browner than contemporaneous MM. /. latirostris; while below stamensis are off-white, faintly sullied fawn-grey across the breast, which is finely streaked in birds from Vietnam (ZDUS collection; USNM 278528), and not at all in one from northwest Thailand (USNM 350230). Eye-ring and under wing-coverts are whitish rather than buff, as in /atzrostris, but the bill resembles williamsoni: upper mandible brownish black, lower dull yellow suffused horn at the extreme tip, distinct from J/atirostris in which the apical half of the lower mandible is sharply demarcated blackish. Colour differences are constant enough for acceptance of wi//iamsoni as distinct, presumably within the Musicapa Jatirostris complex; but whatever 85 [Bull, B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] its status, Deignan’s argument for full species rank through sympatry in peninsular Malaysia is flimsy. Breeding by Brown Flycatchers in Malaysia was rumoured by Robinson (1928) but without supporting evidence, and there is no subsequent indication except from a bird shot by G. C. Madoc’s collector in north Kedah state while it hung about a small but empty nest in a roadside rubber tree. Indentification, however, was never confirmed and the specimen is now lost. Its date, beginning of May 1941, Mr. Madoc informs me was in any case an estimate based on correspondence which he retrieved from the abandoned Raffles Museum, Singapore, after his original field-notes had been lost during the Japanese invasion. Although wintering Brown Flycatchers have been recorded as late as 27 April, and regularly forage from one ot a few habitual perches, the association of bird and nest could still have been coincidence. Deignan’s own evidence for summer residents in Malaysia was provided by two skins (BMNH 86.4.1181, 1182) “of /atirostris facies” obtained by W. R. Davison at Malacca in July 1877. By contemporary standards Davison was a meticulous recorder and lack of more precise dates on these specimens seems as suspicious as their tight cylindrical shape, typical of the trade productions for which 19th century Malacca was a well-known entrepot. Since Davison invariably made flattish skins himself (many BMNH examples extant) he could have bought these two as prepared specimens, in which case their true collection dates and even provenance are in doubt. They are slightly browner and smaller than average, due perhaps to age and shrinkage, but otherwise indistinguishable from ordinary northern migrants. No claim of sympatry between williamsoni and siamensis has ever been made; indeed, the nearest approach by wélliamsoni to the known range of s/amensis is made by an un- dated specimen (BMNH 78.6.19.44) labelled “Saigon”. Dran, the only Vietnamese locality for ssamensis that I have come across, is about 260 km to the northeast, at 1000 m a.s.l. in the pine zone on the road between Phan Rung and Da Lat (Dr. B. Rollet). Finally there is the status of wi/lamsoni itself. No nest has ever been reported and the one bird showing fledgling feathers (FMNH 81161, dated 15 August from central Thailand) is in mainly post-juvenile plumage with no obvious sign of active moult. Deignan apparently never saw this specimen and based his supposition of residence on what he considered to be summer records. In effect twelve of the 17 collection dates and all but two sightings fall between 21 July and 14 September, an eight week period more evocative of passage migration, particularly as some other undoubtedly migrant passerines (including a flycatcher) are now known to reach their Southeast Asian wintering grounds by late July-early August (Medway & Wells 1976). Other dates are in November, December, January, February and Match, and the longest gap in the record starts actually at the seasonal peak of nesting by insectivorous birds in Malaysia. Further points in favour of migrant rather than resident status are that the winter dated records (November-March) come exclusively from south of latitude 10°N; that on 13 August and 8 December 1975 an adult and first- winter juvenile were caught at flood-lights with known long-distance nocturnal migrants crossing the crest of the Malayan main range at Fraser’s Hill; that the shape of the wing-tip of wi/iamsoni (Figure 1) much more closely resembles migratory M. /. /atzrostris than the proven tropical resident [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] 86 Figure 1. Average wing-tips of wi/iamsoni and four subspecies of Muscicapa Jatirostris, drawn to scale. Numbers in parentheses are sample sizes and the vertical bars represent the range of short-fall behind the wing tip of primaries 1, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 10 (descendant). g (op. ey ) cos 9. 5 fe We | Ss HI ae N 7 | } rere | i | i | Weer beled williamsoni(12) Jlatirostris(11) siamensis(3) — segregata (6) randi (8) M. 1. segregata of Sumba island, Lesser Sundas, or MV. /. randi which Amadon & DuPont (1970) have guessed is resident in the Philippines; and finally what is known of the timing of moult. Among almost all resident insectivores, at least in Malaysia, moult occurs June—October, yet only two of 16 wi/iam- soni examined show moult, including the type (an adult male) dated 3 August, from south Thailand, in which primaries 1-6 (descending) are new, 7 is growing, 8-10 are old and rectrices 2-6 are growing, while a post- juvenile male, dated 30 July, from south Burma, is growing some tail- and wing-coverts and body feathers. Most of the others have wings and tail unworn and the total freshness of the August male from Fraset’s Hill sug- gests that, like northern /a/rostris (Stresemann & Stresemann 1974, Nisbet & Neufeldt 1975), adults normally complete all moult before they migrate, although juveniles retain their remiges and rectrices until later. The excep- tional two could have suffered arrest of moult during migration, as sometimes occurs in autumn among Lanius cristatus and Locustella certhiola wintering in Malaysia (Medway & Wells 1976.) The above arguments, of course, merely weaken certain previous as- sumptions, and although w7//iamsoni, siamensis and Jatirostris fotm a pur- suasive chromatic cline, the only positively fresh clue to relationships is a possible wé//iamsoni — latirostris intergrade (SM 458) dated 16 November 1956 from Ulu Simunjan, south Sarawak (Borneo). This is an adult female, wing- length 72 mm, tail 5o mm, tarsus 14 mm, bill-length from nostrils 6-7 mm, width 5-o mm. The wing-linings are whitish and the apical half of the lower mandible sharply demarcated blackish as in /atirostris. The bill is also nearly 1 mm shorter, and the shortness in relation to the wing-tip of primaries 1-6 and 1o is slightly greater, than in any w/iamsoni measured. Against this several specimens of wz/liamsoni are closely matched by the brown of the upperparts, flanks, sides of the breast, wings and tail, and buff edging of the greater wingcoverts and inner secondaries. Crucial areas of the face, throat and breast have unfortunately been ruined by varnish. If, as several times suggested, wz//iamsoni and Jatirostris are in fact con- specific and, as now seems likely, merely synhiemic in Southeast Asia, williamsoni’s anknown breeding range could be restricted. Brown Flycatchers 87 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] in the Himalayas are of /atirostris facies (Stresemann & Stresemann 1974) and these authors report, and I have re-examined, typical /atirostris dated June, July and August, including birds in moult (USNM collection), from the mountains of Szechuan and Yunnan, southern China. Acknowledgements: 1 owe special thanks to Mr. B. D. Bond for sending in the first recent specimen of williamsoni from Malacca; to Mr. H. T. Pagden for field observations from Penang; Mr. G. C. Madoc for his unpublished records; and Messrs. R. M. de Schauensee and I. C. J. Galbraith for comparative data from the type specimen and two inaccessible paratypes. Other specimens, including as far as I am aware all other recognised wi//iamsoni, were borrowed through the kind co-operation of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Phila- delphia (ANSP), the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), the Berlin Zoological Museum, the B.P. Bishop Museum, the British Museum of Natural History (BMNH), the Delaware Museum, the Federal Malaysian Game Department, the Field Museum (FMNH), the Museum Zoologicum, Bogor, the Sarawak Museum (SM), the United States National Museum (USNM) and the Zoology Department, University of Singapore (ZDUS). Note: Mr. E. C. Dickinson has suggested to me (én /itt) that by including the Brown- breasted Flycatcher Muscicapa muttui in the Thai fauna, Ripley (1961) and Ali & Ripley (1972) have compounded an early misidentification of M. /. siamensis by Deignan (1945). These taxa are unlikely to be conspecific and as Deignan later pointed out williamsoni and muttui are equally dissimilar. References: Ali, S. & Ripley, S. D., 1972, Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan Vol. 7. Bombay: Oxford University Press. Amadon, D. & DuPont, J. E. 1970. Notes on Philippine birds. Nemouria 1: 1-14. Deignan, H. G. 1945. The birds of northern Thailand. Bu//, U.S. natn. Mus. 186: i-v, 1-616. — 1957. A new flycatcher from southeastern Asia, with remarks on Muscicapa latirostris Raffles. [bis 99: 340-344. Mayt, E. 1971. New species of birds described from 1956 to 1965. J. Orn. Lpz. 112: 302-316. Medway, Lord & Wells, D. R. 1970. Bird Report: 1968. Malay. Nat. J. 23: 47-77. — 1976. The Birds of the Malay Peninsula. Vol. 5. London H. F. & G. Witherby. Nisbet, I C. T. & Neufeldt, I. 1975. Studies of less familiar birds 175: Brown Flycatcher. Brit. Birds 68: 68-75. Ripley, S. D. 1961. A Synopsis of the birds of India and Pakistan. Bombay: Bombay Natural History Society. ae in H. C. 1928. The Birds of the Malay Peninsula. Vol. 2. London: H. F, & G. Wither- y. Stresemann, E. & Stresemann, V. 1974. Problems resulting from the discontinuous distribution of Muscicapa latirostris Raffles. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soe., 71: 445-451. Address: Zoology Department, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 22-11, Malaysia. Phedina borbonica madagascariensis in the Amirantes by C. J. Feare | Received 9 April 1977 On 15 October 1976 a Phedina martin was discovered flying around egg collectors’ huts on Desnoeufs (53° 1’ E, 6° 13’ S) in the Amirantes, Indian Ocean. The bird was caught by hand at night while it was roosting in a build- ing, and the skin is preserved in the British Museum (Natural History). It was a9, with a completely ossified skull and a regressing ovary. It weighed 18 g, and while there was a little subcutaneous fat on the neck there was none elsewhere. Wing and maximum width of the upper mandible of the Des- noeufs specimen, and of other Phedina specimens in the BMNH collection, are given in Table 1. [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] 88 TABLE 1 Measurements (mm) of Phedina specimens in the British Museum (Natural History) Mean wing Mean max. upper Locality (n) Sex length mandible width + SD, range + SD, range P. borbonica Desnoeufs 19 112 I2°1 P. borbonica Pemba 19° rEgitt II°9 madagascariensis e Nyassa Jiggs 113 T2455 Lake Chilwa # a I 112 12°8 4 Madagascar 13 99 I12°§ 12°5 -k 3°I, 107-119 = 0°7, 10°8-13°5 f 43 12 ¢¢ 115°6 12°4* + 1°6, 113-118 + 0°6, 11°7-13°8 fe & 6 unsexed 1T7 "1 12°6 + 4°0, III-122 + 1°5, 10°§-14°5 P. borbonica Mascatenes 496 113°0 I4°5 borbonica + 4°4, 109-118 sk 0°3, 14°2-14°9 P. brazzae Zaire 8 2d 98°7 9:2 +2°8, 95-102 = 0°4, 8°7-9°9 ee Seat The plumage resembles P. borbonica madagascariensis and P. brazzae in that the breast and belly are streaked and the under tail-coverts white with dark feather shafts. The streaking is much more pronounced than in P. b. borbonica, in which the under tail-coverts are largely brown with white feather edgings. These plumage charactersitics, combined with the wing and bill measure- ments, identify the Desnoeufs specimen as P. b. madagascariensis. This is the first occurrence of the Madagascar Martin to the northeast of its breeding range in Madagascar. Elsewhere it has been recorded in two areas in East Africa in June-July (Benson 1944, Clancey e¢ a/. 1969), on Pemba between September and March (see Clancey e¢ a/. 1969) and on Aldabra in November (Benson & Penny 1971). According to Rand (1936), P. b. madagascariensis breeds in October and November, but possibly also in other months. The records on western Indian Ocean islands appear, there- fore, to fall within the known breeding season on Madagascar. At present there is too little information to indicate whether P. b. madagascariensis regularly migrates to East Africa out of the breeding season. For comparison, some individuals of the Malagassy breeding FEurystomas g. glaucurus, which does do so (Moreau 1966), on their return migration appear to be blown off course and settle temporarily on various western Indian Ocean islands (see Benson (1960) for the Comores, Benson & Penny (1971) and Frith (1976) for the Aldabra group, Feare (1975) for the Seychelles, and I have an unpublished sight record on Providence Island on 27 October 1976). In a like way, any migrating P. b. madagascariensis may be blown off course: the present record followed the passage of cyclone Agatha through the Amirantes during 10-13 October 1976. I am grateful to the National Geographic Society for their grant which enabled me to visit the Amirantes and to Mr. I. C. J. Galbraith, British Museum (Natural History), for permission to examine specimens. 89 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] References: Benson, C. W. 1944. The Madagascar Martin from Nyasaland. Bull, Brit. Orn. Cl. 65: 4-5. — 1960. The birds of the Comoro Islands. [bis 103b: 5—106. Benson, C. W. & Penny, M. 1971. The land birds of Aldabra. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. Lond. B. 260: 417-527. Clancey, P. A., Lawson, W. J. & Irwin, M. P. S. 1969. The Madagascar Martin Phedina borbonica (Gmelin) in Mozambique: a new species to the South African list. Ostrich 40: 5-8. Feare, C. J. 1975. Further migrant birds in the Seychelles. Bu//. Brit. Orn. Cl. 95: 48-50. Frith, C. B. 1974. New observations of migrants and vagrants for Aldabra, Farquhar and Astove Atolls, Indian Ocean. Bul/. Brit. Orn. Cl. 94: 12-19. Moreau, R. E. 1966. The Bird Faunas of Africa and its Islands. Academic Press: London. Rand, A. L. 1936. The distribution and habits of Madagascar birds. Bul/. Am. Mus. nat. Hist. (5) 72: 143-499. Address: Pest Infestation Laboratory, Tangley Place, Worplesdon, Guildford, Surrey England. Normal and aberrant specimens of the Spotted-backed Weaver Ploceus cucullatus by D. B. Hanmer & C. W. Benson Received 27 April 1977 The following observations are confined to Rhodesia, Zambia and Malawi, and cover only Ploceus cucullatus nigriceps and P. c. paroptus. They are based on an examination by D. B. H. of some 800 specimens handled by her in the course of netting operations since 1973 at Nchalo, lower Shire Valley, Malawi, 16° 15’ S, 34° 55’ E, 200 feet a.s.].; and by C. W. B. of 377 specimens preserved in the National Museum of Rhodesia (NMR), Bulawayo, and 4o in the British Museum (Natural History) (BMNH), Tring. Following Clancey (1970), paroptus is recognised as separable from ngriceps, mainly on account of the somewhat richer colour of the male in breeding dress. In the region covered, paroptus replaces nigriceps in the Zambezi Valley below the Victoria Falls and in eastern Zambia generally, and in Malawi throughout. The immediately following remarks on plumage and soft parts are mainly a preliminary for the purpose of the present paper: variation—in sex, season and age—is complex, and requires further study. Adult plumage. The breeding dress of the adult male is well known, and needs no description. Although egg-laying is mostly in September/April (see Benson ef a/. 1964: 97), breeding dress is assumed sometimes as early as July, and is entirely absent perhaps only in May and June. In the off-season, in both sexes the crown is olive streaked dusky; the rest of the upperparts ashy gtey, the mantle and scapulars streaked dusky. Below, the chin and throat are pale yellow, breast and flanks buffy, and the rest of the underparts white. In breeding dress the adult female is predominantly olive above, brightest on the crown, with the crown, mantle and scapulars streaked dusky, the mantle often with some admixture of ashy grey. The underparts are uniform bright yellow, less orange in tone than in the breeding male. Immature plumage. At what age the breeding dress is first assumed is still uncettain, but in both sexes the not fully adult bird resembles the off-season adult, except that in the earliest stages the mantle and scapulars are olivaceous brown rather than the adult ashy grey and the underparts as a whole are [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] 99 washed dull yellowish, not white. This was well evident in 9 out of 34 NMR specimens collected by H. D. Jackson on the Muneni River, near Umtali, 18° 59’ S, 32° 41’ E, 25 November/s; December 1971: all nine had skull “soft”. Two similarly coloured NMR specimens were one from Humani Ranch, 20° 31’ S, 32° 16’ E, 10 March 1972 (No. 75817), and one from Mweru Marsh, 8° 28’ S, 32° 16’ HE, 27 May 1955 (No. 22045); the former not yet fully grown, wing only 70 mm and the crown uniform with the mantle, instead of a contrasting olive. That so few brown-mantled specimens were found in the large NMR series suggests that this stage of immature plumage occuis only for a short time, perhaps not more than two months. Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1955: 891; 1963: 566) state that the young of mgriceps is “similar” to the adult female in non-breeding dress, but has the whole upperside yellow-green; mantle and scapulars streaked with dusky’’, presumably basing this on the 180 BMNH specimens. Among these, which embrace the whole range of nigriceps and paroptus, only three were found pencilled in Captain Grant’s handwriting as “‘young”’: one, from the Athi River, Kenya, appears to be one of the xanthochroic examples which they mention, and is discussed below; another, from Beira, Mozambique, 4. Decembe1 1906, appears to be a female in bieeding dress; and the third, from Port Herald (now Nsanje), Malawi, 6 June 1924, is like 11 NMR specimens discussed above, albeit slightly more olive on the mantle. No other specimen of an apparently very young bird could be found in Tring. The shorter statement by Mackworth- Praed & Grant (1973: 615) that the “‘young bird is very similar to the adult female in non-breeding dress” seems mote strictly correct. Soft parts. Broadly there appear to be three main colour stages in the soft parts: 1) young, perhaps always less than six months old; 2) intermediate; 3) adult, capable of breeding, perhaps always more than 24 months old. Bill. Maxilla sepia, mandible whitish horn in stage 1 and stage 2, although in December/February the maxilla is blackish rather than sepia in some males which show no other sign of breeding dress, excepting four with black spotting (D. B. H.), referred to again below; darker in stage 3, in breeding male wholly black, not quite so intense in breeding female, keel of mandible tending to whitish horn. There is a tubercle on each side of the base (not apparent in museum specimens and unrecorded by any collector), relatively large, yellowish white at start of stage 1, diminishing and changing to brown (sometimes blackish in males) in stage 2 and black in stage 3. Eye. Brown (“grey” on some collectors’ labels) in stage 1, changing to reddish brown in stage 2 and red in stage 3, with possibly some change to brownish red in the off-season (D. B. H.). Thus in February 1977 some females handled, in full breeding dress and with the oviduct visible on external examination (indicating that they had laid), had eyes brownish-red. No such change was noted in the males, but they were still nest-building, and the change might occur later. Legs and feet. Collectors’ labels provide little data, but D. B. H. found them grey or grey-brown in stage 1, pinkish-brown in stage 2, bright pink in stage 3, perhaps more brownish in off-season. It should be stressed that the ages at which the changes in plumage and colour of the soft parts occur require further investigation. Pueumatization. This may be quite slow: there is a BMNH specimen (No. 1936.4.13.368) collected by Rear-Admiral H. Lynes on 8 August 1933 at ¢. 2 QI [Bull, B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] 10° 55’ S, 26° 48’ E, not far north of the Zambia/Zaire boundary, marked “Suv. g, [wing 86 mm] testes quite clear. A// skull clear, do weavers’ skulls take a long time to fully ossify?”. The specimen must have been from an ege laid not later than April (the normal end of the laying season), and already has the adult ashy grey (lacking any olivaceous brown) on the mantle and scapulars, and the yellow on the underparts confined almost entirely to the chin and throat. There is no record of the colour of the soft parts, but the maxilla appears dark sepia, the mandible whitish horn. Measurements. The male averages larger and heavier than the female (Table 1). TABLE 1 Measurements (mm) and weights (g) of Ploceus cucullatus in whole or partial breeding dress Wing Weight nt AD. Range Ap. Range 22939 (live—D.B.H.) 87-1 83 — 9I 37°7 ay eT 13499 (live—D.B.H.) 80-0 75 — 85 31°4 26, sat 37 2249 (skins) 86-2 83 — 88 -— = 299 (skins) — 77, 81 — = Rhodesia 107499 (skins) 87°5 82 — 91 — 433 (live) as 9 36°7 31°3—48-3 6399 (skins) 80°4 77 — 86 an pang 3699 (live) — _- 31°6 26:8—39°3 Zambia 51g (skins) 86-8 83 — 92 — =m 1799 (skins) PBs Cue or rT — Aberrant plumage. (a) The most remarkable aie two found by D. B. H. at Nchalo. The first is dated 2 January 1976, and is now in the Museum of Malawi, Blantyre. Its wing when first examined, measured 79 mm (D. B. H.) and 77 mm on 14 November 1976, after drying out (C. W. B.), weight 26 g, no wing moult evident. On dissection it proved to be a female holding minute oocytes (detected with a lens), with no indication from the oviduct that any egg had ever been laid, yet a fully pneumatized skull. The bill was horn-coloured, culmen darker; but anomalously in view of the state of the ‘“‘adult” skull, the tubercles at the base of the bill were still large and yellowish white, and the eye reddish brown, not merely the brown of the intermediate growth stage. However, the most remarkable feature of this specimen, which was compared by C. W. B. with material of paroptus in the National Museum of Kenya, Naitobi, is the presence of male-like fresh breeding dress on all but the crown. The main plumage features are :—(1) crown olive, worn; (2) sides of head likewise, but some replacement by black; (3) nape black-and-yellow, fresh; (4) mantle and scapulars ashy grey, streaked dusky, worn, but some replacement with black-and-yellow, fresh, on one side; (5) underparts orange- yellow, with some black on thioat and centre of chest, and bright saffron on sides of chest. On 9 January 1976 a similar specimen was found, though the anomalies were less pronounced. It too was smaller and lighter than any true male, wing 80 mm, weight 31 g. Unfortunately, before it could be skinned, it was eaten by a captive owl. [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] 92 (b) In NMR C. W. B. found three specimens taken in the breeding season in adult non-breeding dress but with slight signs of breeding plumage :—(r1) No. 77343, 6, Muneni River, near Umtali (see above), 21 October 1971, collector H. D. Jackson, has some yellow (same tone as on chin and throat of off-season birds) on underparts as a whole, but more significantly most feathers of chin and throat with a dusky spot towards apex, wing 87 mm, testes 24 x 2, 24 x 14 mm (thus not near breeding). The skull is labelled “hard”, eye “‘brown’’, bill “dusky, flesh basally’, but the bill now is very dark sepia, the keel of the mandible whitish horn. (2) No. 77340, 4, locality and collector as for 77343, date 25 November 1971, has yellow on the under parts as in 77343, but more extensive, some feathers on centre of throat black at base, some on sides of throat striated with black, wing 86 mm, testes “small’’. The skull is labelled “hard”, eye “‘red’’, bill ““black/grey’’, but the maxilla is now blackish sepia, the mandible whitish horn. (3) No. 3503, un- sexed, Mpika, Zambia, 18 January 1950, collector W. E. Poles, underparts as in 77340, most feathers on lower throat with conspicuous black at base, likewise on sides of chest, unsexed (gonads recorded as very small), but wing 89 mm, so presumably a male. Skull fully pneumatized, eye ‘“‘red’’, bill now like that of 77340. (c) D. B. H. found four immature males at Nchalo in 1977, showing no sign of a breeding dress except for odd black spots on the face and throat (in the first on the chin only), thus akin in this respect to the three preceding :— (1) 27 January, eye dull orange, bill dark horn, pale below, testes 14 mm, skull three-quarters pneumatized; (2) 16 February, eye brown-orange, bill black, slightly paler below, testes 4 mm, skull one fifth pneumatized; (3, 4) 17, 21 February, both with eye orange-red and bill as for last: not dissected, but wings 85, 88 mm. (d) Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1955: 891; 1963: 566) mention two xanthochroic examples, and although from outside our area there are two such specimens in BMNH worth mention. One is from Kilosa, Tanzania, 2 December 1920, unsexed, the other from the Athi River, Kenya, 22 August 1900, sexed male. Both have wing 74 mm, which is more compatible with females. They are a much brighter olive on the upperparts as a whole than in the female in breeding dress, the ashy streaking much less conspicuous. The underparts appear normal, the Athi specimen in off-season dress, the other with yellow more extensive. Neither bears any record of the colour of the soft parts, although both appear to have had maxilla sepia, mandible whitish horn. Frith (1967: 176-177) has discussed aberrations in two other ploceids, the Aldabran Fody Foudia eminentissima aldabrana and the Madagascar Fody F. madagascariensis. In these, however, it was a question of all the red areas such as ate found in the breeding male being replaced by golden yellow, and the bill brown or horn colouted instead of black. None of the specimens was sexed certainly as a male, and four carefully examined showed no trace of any sexual organs. These cases ate not comparable to any of those in Ploceus cucullatus. Our seven aberrant specimens under (b) and (c) above, seem likely to have been not fully adult, but with precocious signs of the breeding dress in variable amounts. Although not recorded previously, this may be a not infrequent phenomenon; but no explanation can be offered for the two speci- mens under (a) which are much the most anomalous and remarkable, and we can do no more than draw attention to them. 93 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] Acknowledgements: D. B. H’s. contribution was assisted by a grant from the Frank M. Chapman Memorial Fund. C. W. B.’s visit to Bulawayo was made possible through the generosity of the National Museums and Monuments of Rhodesia (per M. A. Raath, G. Bell-Cross and M. P. Stuart Irwin). For his examination of specimens in Nairobi thanks are due to G. R. Cunningham van Someren, and in Tring to I. C. J. Galbraith and D. K. Read. References: Benson, C. W., Brooke, R. K. & Vernon, C. J. 1964. Bird breeding data for the Rhodesias and Nyasaland. Occ. Pap. Natn. Mus. S. Rhod. 26B: 30-105. Clancey, P. A. 1970. Miscellaneous taxonomic notes on African birds. XXIX. Durban Mus. Novit. 8(20). Frith, C. B. 1976. A twelve-month field study of the Aldabran Fody Foudia eminentissima aldabrana. Ibis 118: 155-178. Mackworth-Praed, C. W. & Grant, C. H. B. 1955. Birds of Eastern and North Eastern Africa. Vol. 2. London: Longmans, Green & Co. — 1963. Birds of the Southern Third of Africa. Vol. 2. London: Longmans. — 1973. Birds of West Central and Western Africa. Vol. 2. London: Longmans. Addresses: Mts. D. B. Hanmer, Sucoma, Post Bag 50, Blantyre, Malawi. C. W. Benson, Dept. of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge. A third locality in Colombia for the Dusky-chested Flycatcher I'yrrannopsis luteiventris by J. V. Remsen, Jr. Received 7 May 1977 The Dusky-chested Flycatcher 7 yrannopsis /uteiventris has only been recorded from two localities in Colombia:—upper Rio Putumayo (in Meyer de Schauensee 1950) and Mitu, Vaupés (Olivares 1964), and indeed is known from only a few other localities in the whole of South America, namely one or two recoids each from Ecuador, Peiu, and Venezuela and several from Surinam and Brasil (Blake 1961, Meyer de Schauensee 1966). Virtually nothing has been published concerning its natural history, and it is pethaps the most poorly known and rarest of the multigeneric assemblage of medium and large sized, yellow-bellied Tyrannids. On 25 June 1975 I observed two individuals of this species feeding in the tops of small trees about 10 m in height along the edge of a stream about 15 m wide in seasonally flooded “‘varzea” forest approximately 1 km from its junction with the Amazon River. This stream, locally called Quebrada “Guacari” but probably not appearing on any published maps, is about 45 km northwest of Leticia, Amazonas, Colombia. A male was collected (Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Berkeley, California No. 164046), largest testis 2 mm, weight 20-5 g, of the nominate race /y/eiventris. Stomach contents revealed it had been feeding on a hard fruit, cylindrical in shape (6 x 3 x 3 mm) and bright orange in colour. Both birds called persistently, giving a very nasal “chew”’ note. On 19 July 1975 two individuals were seen in the middle strata about 20 m above ground at the edge of “‘tierra firma” forest on the outskirts of Leticia. Again the nasal ‘‘chew” call was heard several times. They wete sallying from small, leafless branches to nearby foliage, probably for insects (no fruit visible). Available for direct comparison at this spot were both Myiozeretes granadensis and M. similis, which form useful comparison with /wéeiventris in appearance, body proportions and overall behaviour. [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] 94 On 23 July 1975 two more /ueiventris were studied at very close range (7 m) for ten minutes in a small agricultural clearing at the edge of “tierra firma” forest near Pobre Alegre, a small village on the lower Rio Javari, Loreto, Peri. They frequently gave the nasal “chew” call from the tops of banana plants about 3 m above the ground, and showed little fear of humans. No foraging was observed; these birds spent the entire time calling back and forth to one another. Although direct evidence for breeding was lacking, that all three observa- tions were of birds which definitely appeared paired implies residency in the immediate vicinity rather than migrant status. All three observations were from forest edge situations, and if indeed this species proves to prefer forest edge habitats, /uteiventris will be one of the few examples of a truly rare species to do so, since most rare or locally distributed birds in the Amazon Basin inhabit forest interiors. I’. luteiventris perches in rather exposed locations, has a distinctive and persistent call, and is readily distinguished in the field from the similar Myiozetetes species. Thus with only three records in nine months of daily field work, this species is certainly rare near Leticia and would not be likely to be detected on brief collecting trips. It remains to be seen whether this species’ distribution is truly discontinuous or whether the gaps will be filled by more intensive field work. Acknowledgements: My teseatch in the Leticia area was supported by a National Science Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Grant and by the Frank M. Chapman Fund of the American Museum of Natural History. I thank Emmet R. Blake, Ned K. Johnson, Frank A. Pitelka, and Melvin A. Traylor for useful comments on this note. References: Blake, E. R. 1961. Variation in Myiozetetes luteiventris. Fieldiana (Zoology) 44(9): 63-66. Meyer de Schauensee, R. 1950. The birds of the Republic of Colombia (Dendrocolaptidae— Tyrannidae). Caldasia 5(24): 645-871. — 1966. The Species of Birds of South America with their Distribution. Narberth, Pennsylvania: Livingston. Olivares, A. 1964. Adiciones a las aves de Vaupés, Il. Caldasia 9(42): 151-184. Address: Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, U.S.A. Identity of pelicans on St. Joseph Atoll, Amirantes by D. R. Stoddart Received 14 May 1977 J. S. Gardiner reported the presence of a colony of pelicans during a visit to St. Joseph Atoll (5° 25’ S, 53° 20’ E), Amirante Islands, western Indian Ocean on 10-11 October 1905. Gadow & Gardiner (1907: 110) named the species as the Dalmatian Pelican Pel/ecanus crispus, and though the colony has not been seen since, and was indeed extinct at the time of a visit by D. Vesey- FitzGerald in the 1930s, this species has been recorded as present on the basis of Gardiner’s identification by Betts (1940: 504) and Watson ef a/. (1963: 180). Gardiner & Cooper (1907: 154) state: “St. Joseph is covered with tall coconuts, some of which were weighted down and killed by the large nests of Pelecanus crispus, of which there was a numerous colony. How fat this bird is a wanderer we do not know”. According to Gadow & Gardiner (1907: 110) “these large birds were found breeding in a colony in the coconut and : 95 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] other large trees of the eastern island of S. Joseph Atoll, Amirante Group. Young birds were seen in October 1905”. P. crispus is, however, a gtound- nesting species, and the nearest known breeding locality is at the head of the Persian Gulf, where it formerly bred (Vaurie 1965: 43). In terms of range a mote probable candidate is the White Pelican P. onocrotalus, but this too is a ground-nesting species. The identity of the St. Joseph pelican can, however, be resolved, as W. L. Abbott collected a specimen, hitherto overlooked, on 29 August 1892. Ridgway (1895 : 516) names it as a Pink-backed Pelican P. rufescens, and refers to “a small colony—perhaps one hundred individuals . . . the only colony of pelicans in these seas”. Dr. G. E. Watson has kindly located Abbott’s speci- men in the National Museum of Natural History, Washington, and states that it is definitely rufescens in juvenile plumage, with the back of neck, mantle, and upper surface of wings dark greyish brown, and the lower back and rump pure white. Measurements are: wing 463 mm, culmen from skull 315 mm, exposed culmen 295 mm. There is a record of this species in the Dahlak Archipelago, Red Sea (Mackworth-Praed & Grant 1952: 34), and several from Madagascar (Milon et al. 1973: 31), including one of a colony at Antsalova (18° 40’ S, 44° 37’ E), but otherwise no records outside mainland Africa: its occurence on an oceanic island is thus quite exceptional. The only other report of pelicans in the western Indian Ocean is the unconfirmed hearsay repott of two indi- viduals of P. crispus on Bijoutier, Alphonse, by Loustau-Lalanne (1963 : 23). Watson ef a/. (1963: 180) suggest that pelicans were introduced to St. Joseph but this seems very unlikely. The colony was probably present as early as 1882, when H.M.S. A/er¢ charted a Pelican Island on the atoll, but apart from the observations quoted above and its presumed extinction between 1905 and the 1930s, there are no further records of the colony. Acknowledgement: 1 am grateful to Dr. G. E. Watson for kindly locating and reporting on Abbott’s specimen, and to C. W. Benson for much advice and for reading a draft of this note. References: Betts, F. N. 1940. The birds of the Seychelles. II. The sea-birds—mote particularly those of Aride Island. Ibis (14) 4: 489-504. Gadow, H. & Gardiner, J. S. 1907. Report on Percy Sladen Trust Expedition to Indian ~ Ocean 1905, 1. Aves, with some notes on the distribution of the land-birds of the Seychelles. Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. (2) 12: 103-110. Gardiner, J. S. & Cooper, C. F. 1907. Report on Percy Sladen Trust Expedition to Indian Ocean 1905, 1. Description of the expedition. Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. (2) 12: 111-175. en P. 1963. Sea and shore birds of the Seychelles. Occ. Publ. Seychelles Soc. 2: 1-26. Mackworth-Praed, C. W. & Grant, C. H. B. 1952. Birds of Eastern and North Eastern Africa. Vol. 1. London: Longmans, Green and Co. Milon, P., Petter, J.-J. & Randrtianasolo, G. 1973. Oiseaux. Faune Madagascar 35. Tanana- rive: ORSTOM, Paris: CNRS. Ridgway, R. 1895. On birds collected by Doctor W. L. Abbott on the Seychelles, Amirantes, Gloriosa, Assumption, Aldabra and adjacent islands, with notes on habits, etc., by the collector. Proc. U.S. nat. Mus. 18; 509-546. Vaurie, C. 1965. The Birds of the Palearctic Fauna. Non-Passeriformes. London: H. F. and G. Witherby Ltd. Watson, G. E., Zusi, R. L. & Storer, R. E. 1963. Preliminary Field Guide to the Birds of the Indian Ocean, Washington: Smithsonian Institution. . Address: Department of Geography, Downing Place, Cambridge CB2 3EN, England. [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] 96 Weights of West African Savanna birds by P. W. Greig-Smith & N.C. Davidson Received 14 May 1977 During studies of the behaviour and ecology of birds in Mole National Park, Ghana, in 1974 and 1975, we weighed 1187 bitds of 111 species, including several species for which there is little other such information (see e.g. Fry 1970, Karr 1976). Birds were mist-netted in a variety of habitats in the vicinity of Samole (9° 15’ N, 1° 51’ W) 8 July — 27 Aug 1974, 7 July — 2 Sep 1975, and 2 Nov — 2 Dec 1975. Weights were measured with Pesola spring balances, and are accutate to o:1 g (weights less than 40 g), to 0-5 g (40 — 80 g), or to 1:0 g (over 80 g). The bird communities of the area are described by Greig-Smith (1976). W. G. Harvey et a/. (in Fry 1970) collected weights from Mole National Park in the wet season of 1968, and their samples agree closely with our means and ranges for most species represented by large samples (e.g. Merops bulocki, Pycnonotus barbatus, Serinus mozambicus, Esstrilda melpoda). This sug- gests that the samples are truly representative, and where they differ from other published weights of the same species there may be some biological significance. We have commented on some such cases below, and where possible we have compared male against female, and wet against dry season weights, using Student’s t-test. These weights will be used in an investi- gation of ecological segregation between savanna species (Greig-Smith & Davidson, in prep.). In the following list, each species name is followed in brackets by the number of birds weighed in each season. Wet season weights (July — Sep) are given separately from early dry season weights (Nov — Dec), which are prefixed by D. For most samples of 5 birds or fewer, weights are listed individually; for larger samples, the mean + one standard deviation is followed in brackets by the range. Where sexes and ages were distinguished on plumage characteristics, they have been listed separately. The sequence and nomenclature of species follow White (1960-65). Butorides striatus (1): 193 Porphyrio alleni (1): 140 Streptopelia senegalensis (1): 98 Turtur afer (8): 66-5 + 5°7(57°5—74°0); D(2): 62-0, 62°5 Turtur abyssinicus (10): 59:0 + 3°9 (55°0-66°5); D(2): 55°0, §7°0 Treron australis (1): 239 : Treron waalia (1): 268 Clamator levaillanti (1): 122 Chrysococcyx klaas (2): $$ 23:+0, 23:0 Chrysococcyx caprius (2): dh 26°2, 28°6 Glaucidium perlatum (1): juv 61-0 Caprimulgus climacurus (4): 3 43°5, 22 36°3, 39°0, unsexed 38°5 Ceryle maxima (1): 282; D(1): 305 Alcedo quadribrachys (7): 35:6 + 2°3 (33:0 —39°5)3; D(z): 36:5, 37-0. Britton & Dow- sett (1969) list 6 birds from Zambia with a mean weight of 31-6. Alcedo cristata (4): 11°0, 11°5, 11°7, 12°53; D(1): 13°5. The weights of 9 birds from Mole (Fry 1970) are slightly higher (mean = 12-9), and birds in East and Southern Africa ate much heavier—means = 15-8 (Britton 1970), 15°5 (Britton & Dowsett 1969), 14°9 (one bird, Liversidge 1968). 97 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] Ceyx picta (33): 13 adults, 11-4 + 1-1 (9°6 — 13-5), 10 juvs, 10°6 + 0°6 (9:6 — 11-2), Io unaged, 10°6 + 0-8 (g-0 — 11°7); D(5): 11°4 + 0°7 (10°74 — 12-4). The difference between wet season adults and juveniles is close to significant (P approx. equal to 0-05), though both are lighter than wet season birds in Zambia (mean = 14°3, Britton & Dowsett 1969). Halcyon senegalensis (2): 54°09, §5°4 Halcyon malimbica (11): 90°8 + 8-0 (79 — 105); D(z): 103 Halcyon chelicuti (2): 32°5, 35°0. Dean (1974) quotes weights of 41 and 43 g for H. chelicuti in Angola. Halcyon leucocephala D(1): 44-0 Merops pusillus (2): 11 +6, 13°2 Merops bulocki (52): 22°6 + 1°5 (19:0 — 26-4); D(4): 19-9, 21-6, 23-0, 23°5 Merops hirundineus (11): 9 ads 21-8 + 1°5 (19-5 — 23-6), juvs 19°5, 20°5 Phoeniculus purpureus (7): $3 760, 90, 96, 99, 22 56-0, 63°5, juv 59°5 P hoeniculus aterrimus (1): 3 22°8 Lybius dubius (16): 8 33 92-0 + 8:5 (81 — 105), 5 PP 87°6 + 6-9 (80 — 98), unsexed 94, 95, 99; D(2): dd 85, 85. Males vs females, P> 0-30 Pogoniulus chrysoconus (2): 9°6, 9°8. The mean of 5 Zambian birds (Britton & Dowsett 1969) is 12°7 Indicator indictaor (3): ads 54-0, 50°5, juv 37°0 Indicator minor (2): 26+5, 32°0 Campethera punctuligera (2): 3 67, ¢ 71 Campethera abingoni D(1): 55+0 Mesopicos goertae (5): 33 50°0, 5§2°0, 9 45°5, unsexed, 49-0, 52°5 Psalidoprocne obscura (1): 10°0 Prionops plumata (18): 12 ads, 43-0 + 3+0 (40-0 — 48°5), 6 juvs 39°8 + 2:0 (37°0 — 42:0). Adults vs juveniles, P 0-50. Fry (1970) found a significant difference, males 8% heavier than females. Platysteira cyanea (13): 43S 14°3 + 0°6 (13-5 — 15-0), 8 PP 13:0 + 0-9 (11°6 — 14°5), juv 11°7; D(1): ¢ 15-0. Males vs females, P 0-50. Parus leucomelas (10): 161 + 1*2 (13°1 —17°5) Nectarinia verticalis (1): 8 13:2; D(1): 5 11°8 Nectarinia senegalensis (26): 16 $$ 10°3 + 0°6 (9°6—11°9), 722 8-4 + 0°9 (6:8 —9°8), juvs 9°4, 10°1, 1072. Males are 23% heavier than females (P 0-20); Fry (1970) found a 12% difference. Zosterops senegalensis (2): 8°1, 8°7 Emberiza cabanisi (3): 3 24°0, 99 24°1, 25°5 Emberiza forbesi (4): 14°5, 14°9, 16:0, 16:0 Emberiza tahapisi D(1): 12°8 Serinus mozambicus (81): 40 3 10°8 + 1°7 (9°5§ — 12°5), 31 PP 10°4 + 1:0 (9°1 — 13°5), 7 unsexed 10°5 + 0:6 (9-9 —11°'7), juv 9:6. Males vs females, P 0-40. Malimbus rubriceps (1): 3 22-0 Quelea erythrops (10): $8 17°7, 21°7, 8 99/imm 3S 16:0 + 2°5 (13°9-21°8) Euplectes afra (132): 81 8S 14°7 + 2°7 (11°2—- 20°5), 44 92 /immgg 13:9 + 1°0 (12:2 - 16+2), 7 unsexed 15-1 + 0-9 (13°3-—16-1). Malesvs females/immature males, P 0-20. Britton & Dowsett (1969) list means of 10-5 and 10-7 for males and females in Zambia. Estrilda larvata (7): 33 9°9, 9°5, 9°7, 10°5, 9Y 8°8, 9°3, unsexed 10°6 Lagonosticta rufopicta (11): 9*1 + 1°1 (8:0 —11°6); D(2): 8-3, 9-0 Lagonosticta senegala (9): 5 33. 7°9 4 0°5 (7°6 — 8°5), 499 7°8 + 0°9 (7°2 — 82); D(a): 3 7:8. Males vs females, P> 0-50. Lagonosticta rara (5): 3 9°7, 22 9°2, 10°4, unsexed 10°3, 11°33; D(1):2 9-1 Lonchura cucullata (4): 8-0, 8-7, 8-9, 9°0; D(2): 8-9, 9°7 Acknowledgements: We are grateful to the Ghana Game & Wildlife Department for per- mission to study birds at Mole, and for the facilities provided. J. Amponsah, E. D. Agyem- fra, Duku-Frimpong, and members of the 1st and znd Aberdeen University Ghana expe- ditions helped with netting at various times. Finance was provided by grants from the Royal Society, Aberdeen University, the Carnegie Trust, the Explorers Club, the Drapers Company, and others. References: Britton, P. L. 1970. Some non-passerine bird weights from East Africa. Bu//. Brit. Orn. C7. 90: 142-144, 152-154. Britton, P. L. & Dowsett, R. J. 1969. More bird weights from Zambia. Ostrich 40: 55-60. Day, D. H. 1975. Some bird weights for the Transvaal and Botswana. Ostrich 46: 192-194. Dean, W. R. J. 1974. Bird weights from Angola. Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 94: 170-172. Fry, C. H. 1970. Migration, moult and weights of birds in northern Guinea savanna in Nigeria and Ghana. Ostrich suppl. 8: 239-263. Greig-Smith, P. W. 1976a. Observations on the social behaviour of Helmet-Shrikes. Bu//. Nigerian Orn. Soc. 41: 25-30. — 1976b. The composition and habitat preferences of the avifauna of Mole National Park, Ghana. Bull. Nigerian Orn. Soc. 42: 49-66. Karr, J. R. 1976. Weights of African birds. Bu//. Brit. Orn. Cl. 96: 92-96. Liversidge, R. 1968. Bird weights. Ostrich 39: 223-227. White, C. M. N. 1960-65. A Revised Check-list of African Birds. 5 vols. Government Printer, Lusaka. Addresses: P. W. Greig-Smith, School of Biological Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton; N. C. Davidson, Department of Zoology, University of Durham, South Road, Durham, England. Notes on some non-passerine birds of Wallacea by C. M. N. White Received 26 May 1977 The five notes which follow arise from the preparation of an annotated check-list of the non-passerine birds of Wallacea. They indicate the need for modern field work in these Indonesian islands before some of the questions discussed can be finally resolved. The inventory of species occurring in Wallacea is no doubt still incomplete, and the status of many already known to occur is still not clear: the birds of many smaller islands are known only from collections made over half a century ago, unaccompanied by any field data. DISTRIBUTION OF Dendrocygna arcuata This duck is reliably recorded in Wallacea from Celebes and in the Lesser Sundas from Sumba, Roti and Timor. Stresemann (1941: 17) incorrectly stated that it is absent from the Lesser Sundas. Peters (1931: 153) gave Moluccas as part of its range, not mentioning any specific island. Mayr (1945: 3), in a taxonomic revision, cited Ambon as the only locality in Moluccas, and Van Bemmel (1948: 396) included the species in his list of Moluccan birds solely on the authority of Mayr’s reference to Ambon. I have failed to find any evidence that this duck occurs in Moluccas. There are no specimens from these islands in the British Museum (Natural History), [Bull. B.O.C. 7977: 97(3)] 100 the American Museum of Natural History, or the Leiden Museum, and I am erateful to Dr. G. F. Mees for drawing attention to the probable source of the error. In 1863 and 1864 specimens of D. guttata were collected at Ambon and sent to Leiden; but prior to D. guttatfa being described as a distinct species, Finsch in 1865 (Vew- Guinea: 183) had mentioned birds from Ambon under the name D. arcuata. It is thus evident that Moluccas and Ambon must be deleted from the known range of D. arcuata. One cannot now follow Stresemann (1941: 17) in the suggestion that it colonised Celebes from Moluccas, unless it can be shown that a former Moluccan population has disappeared. Berlioz & Pfeffer (1966: 909) listed a downy young from Ambon as Dendrocygna ?sp. saying that both D. arcuata and D. guttata occur there. On present knowledge the specimen should be D. gutiata. Three species of Dendrocygna have been recorded from Wallacea, but only a single species occuis on any given island except for Celebes where D. artuata and D. guttata both occur, though whether sympatrically is not known. Heinrich did not find them together, though Raven in 1916 collected both species on different dates at Likoepang in north Celebes. THE STATUS OF Alccipiter fasciatus buruensis The Brown Goshawk of Australia is represented in the Lesser Sunda Islands and Djampea to Tukang Besi Islands by three well marked sub- species, and two others less well differentiated. They are not uncommon in open woodland and cultivation. In contrast only five specimens are known ~ from Buru, all females and only one certainly an adult. Stresemann described them as buruensis, stating that they differed from the nominate Australian form only in smaller size. Condon & Amadon (1954: 215-216) recognised north Australian birds as A. f. didimus (Mathews), and said of the type of buruensis ““Were Buru adjacent to north Australia we should not hesitate to list buruensis as a synonym of didimus’’. Greenway (1973: 265) commented on this “The occurrence of subspecies on islands between northern Australia and Buru does not appear to be strong enough ground for retention of a subspecies without morphological differences”. I agree with Greenway and propose to treat buruensis as a synonym of didimus until more adequate material reveals some distinguishing characters. It is possible that Australian birds colonised Buru comparatively recently and have not yet developed any distinctive characters. This parallels the situation at Rennell and Bellona, Solomon Islands where the birds are identical with nominate fasciatus. The presence of distinct wa/lacii and hellmayri in the Lesser Sundas east to Set- matta and Damar poses no objection if Buru was colonised across the sea directly from north Australia. It should, however, be noted that the apparent rarity of the species in Buru is curious, unless the island, being wetter and more forested than the Lesser Sundas, is ecologically unsuited to the species, which can then only exist as a small population. On the other hand, it is just possible that no breeding population at all exists in Buru and that the few specimens obtained thete are sporadic vagrants from north Australia. The fact that all were females, and perhaps only one an adult, may lend some support to this view. On the other hand, the lack of didimus as a vagrant on inte1vening islands would be strange if this were true. Field work in Buru is required to establish the true status of the species there. IOI [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] VARIATION IN Piilinopus bernsteinii This fruit dove was discussed by Goodwin (1967: 342) under the mote familiar name P. formosus, but Mees (1973: 120) has since pointed out that it should be known as P. bernsteinii. It is confined to the north Moluccas: Toxopeus’ sight record in Buru (Siebers 1930) of a bird which appeared to be of this species cannot be firmly accepted. Jany (1955: 106) separated the population of this fruit dove in Obi from birds of Batjan, Halmahera and Ternate (as Megaloprepia formosa micra), stating that it is smaller. Unfortunately he only gave wing measurements of birds from Obi, and none from other localities to demonstrate the difference. I am very grateful to Mrs. M. LeCroy for the following wing measurements of the series in the American Museum of Natural History :— Batjan (17) males 146-151 mm _ females 142-150 mm. Halmaheta (7) » 144-152 oe te baa, Tae Ternate (2) ves hed eta Obi (3) mand taka 132 Jany’s measurements from Obi were for males 130-1 38 mm, females 128— 137 mm. It is thus clear that the birds from that locality are distinctly smaller and warrant separation as P. b. micrus (Jany). THE STATUS OF Cacomantis variolosus tymbonomus Cuculus tymbonomus Muller was named in 1843, based on a specimen from Timor. Peters (1940: 25) listed it as a synonym of nominate Australian Cacomantis variolosus, adding in a footnote that Dr. Junge had informed him that ¢ymbonomus was an earlier name for dumetorum if the latter were considered a distinct north Australian form. Peters did not mention that Junge had already (1937: 179-180) published his views about the identity of ¢ymbonomus. Mayr (1944: 149) reported a series of seven specimens of C. variolosus collected in Timor by Stein. They differed from Australian birds in having narrow rufous edges to the greyish brown back, scapulars and lesser upper wing coverts, and in some other respects. No dates were given, but from Stein’s itinerary they must gave been collected in January, February and April. Mayr considered that these birds represented a distinct endemic form, resident in Timor, and adopted ¢ymbonomus as their name. It is difficult to reconcile Junge’s views on ¢ymbonomus with those adopted by Mayr. Dr. G. F. Mees has kindly re-examined the type of ¢ymbonomus in the Leiden musuem. He informs me that allowing for its age, it agrees well with north Australian birds and has none of the rufous dorsal markings which Mayr found in Timor birds. It is labelled 1829 without further date, and could in fact have been a migrant from Australia, since nominate variolosus winters in Wallacea as far as the north Moluccas and Sula Islands. If there is a distinct resident form in Timor, it is evident that zywbonomus is not on present evidence available as its name. Cacomantis variolosus was last revised by Hartert (1925). A new revision of the species is badly needed, and this should take account of plumage sequen- ces, since Parkes (1960: 332-335) found that some C’. variolosus moult from the barred juvenile plumage to a second barred plumage. It would also be desirable to have confirmation that the species in fact breeds in Timor. In the meantime I leave the Timor birds obtained by Stein without a subspecific name. THREE QUESTIONABLE RECORDS FROM TALAUD ISLANDS The Talaud Islands including the adjacent Nenusa group are small, non- volcanic isolated oceanic islands, and are the northernmost land area [Bull, B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] 102 included in Wallacea. Only about 38 species of birds recorded there are likely also to breed. No experienced ornithologist has visited the islands: most knowledge of their birds comes from collections made by Indonesian hunters working for C. W. Cursham or J. Waterstradt last century. Hartert (1898: 88-91) reported on a collection sent by Waterstradt. He noted that the col- lection included two examples of Oriolus chinensis celebensis which were probably not obtained at Talaud but on the way to or from Talaud (a strongly matked endemic subspecies in fact occurs at Talaud). Three other species listed from Talaud also seem suspect :— Trichoglossus ornatus: one specimen of this Celebes allospecies of 7. haema- todus (Hartert 1898). Peters (1937: 148) and Cain (1955: 432-479) have overlooked or ignored this record. The species is not reported from the islands between Talaud and Celebes so that the presence in Talaud of a bird identical with that of Celebes is peculiar. It is also odd that Cursham’s collectors failed to obtain this conspicuous lory. Eurostopodus macrotis macropterus: one specimen identical with Celebes specimens. The nominate form occurs in the Philippines, but there are no other records from the intervening small islands. This large nightjar is a common lowland species in Celebes, but it has never been recorded from any small oceanic island. Picoides temminckii: a pair identical with Celebes birds, where this small woodpecker is endemic. It has not been reported from islands close to Celebes such as Muna, Butung or Banggai nor from Siau or Sangihe, and it | would appear to be a species unable to make over-water colonisations, so that its presence, undifferentiated, at Talaud seems unlikely. In Celebes it is a common species in any timbeted area, even an urban one. These doubtful records underline the need for modetn investigation of the birds of many patts of Wallacea. Although one cannot categorically prove that the specimens came from Celebes (like the Orio/us), a strong suspicion must remain that they did so, at least until the converse is proved by new records from Talaud. References: Berlioz, J. & Pfeffer, P. 1965 (1966). Etude d’une collection d’oiseaux d’Amboine (Iles Moluques). Bull. Mus. Nat. Hist. Nat. Paris Set. 2. 37: 907-915. Cain, A. J. 1955. A revision of Trichoglossus haematodus and of the Australian Platycercine parrots. [bis 97: 432-479. Condon, H. T. & Amadon, D. 1954. Taxonomic notes on Austtalian hawks. Recd. S. Austr. Mus, 11: 189-246. Goodwin, D. 1967. Pigeons and Doves of the World. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). Greenway, J. C. 1973. Type specimens of birds in the American Museum of Natural History. Part 1. Bull, Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 150: 207-346. Hartert, E. 1898. List of a collection of birds from the island of Lirung or Salibabu, the largest of the Talaut group. Novit. Zool. 5: 89-91. — 1925. Revision of the genus Cacomantis Mull. Novit. Zool. 32: 164-174. Jany, E. 1955. Neue Vogel-Formen von den Nord-Molukken. J. Orn. 96: 102-106. Junge, G. C. A. 1937. The birds of south New Guinea. Part 1. Non-Passeres. Nova Guinea (n.s.) I: 125-187 Mayr, E. 1944. The birds of Timor and Sumba. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 83: 123-194. — 1945. Birds collected during the Whitney South Seas expedition 55. Notes on the birds of northern Melanesia 1. Amer. Mus. Novit. No. 1294. Mees, G. F. 1973. Once mote: the identity and authorship of Treron griseicauda, Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 93: 119-120. Parkes, K. C. 1960. Notes on some non-passerine birds from the Philippines. Ann. Carneg. Mus. 35: 331-340. | 103 [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] Peters, J. L. 1931, 1937, 1940. Check List of Birds of the World. Vols. 1, 3, 4. Harvard Univ. Press. Siebers, H. C. 1930. Fauna Buruana: Aves. Treubia 7 (Suppl.): 179. Stresemann, E. 1941: Die V6gel von Celebes. J. Orn. 89: 1-102. Van Bemmel, A. C. V. 1948. A faunal list of the birds of the Moluccan Islands. Treubia 19: 323-402. Address: 2 Belvedere Court, Kingsway, Ansdell, Lytham-St. Annes, Lancashire, England. First record of the Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus from Taiwan by S. R. Severinghaus Received 21 March 1977 On 28 September 1967, a female Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus was trap- ped 250 mazs.l. in the hills east of the town of Heng Chun, Pingtung Hsien (22° 00’ N, 120° 45’ E) at the southern tip of Taiwan (Formosa). This was the first, and remains the only, record to date of the Ashy Drongo from Taiwan, and is the basis for including Taiwan within its range in King ef a/. (1975). The specimen is deposited in the bird collection of the Environmental Research Centre at Tunghai University (Taichung, Taiwan, ROC). Measure- ments (in mm) were recorded as follows: wing, 135; tail, 124; culmen, 23-4; gape, 28-9; tarsal length, 18-6; tarsal diameter, 2-5; total length, 239; weight, 34°4 g. The bird was uniform grey except for a paler silver-grey facial patch (lores, eat coverts and narrow border above and below eyes), a narrow black forehead, and blackish primaries. Bill, legs, feet and toes were black. The itis was rich dark brown. Although the races of the Ashy Drongo are difficult to differentiate, the specimen in question almost certainly belongs to D. /. sa/angensis: the light facial patch was a silver-grey, not white, and extended only slightly around and behind the eye to include the ear coverts. This agrees with the description of salangensis in Vaurie (1949). It is distinct from D. /. /eucogenis in which the facial patch is white and extends further backward to the sides of the neck. The Taiwan specimen closely resembles the specimens of sa/angensis in the American Museum of Natural History. Both it and the museum specimens have darker plumage, including the facial patch, than the specimens of Jeucogenis in the museum. Along coastal mainland China, sa/angensis usually breeds south of the Kwangtung-Fukien border, while /eacogenis breeds north of that border (Vaurie 1949). Their breeding ranges meet, therefore, directly across the Formosa Straits from central Taiwan. Both subspecies migrate southwest across the continent to Thailand and the Malay Peninsula; sa/angensis also migrates to Hainan, arriving in late September (Vaurie 1949). The Taiwan specimen was doubtless a straggler to the island during autumn migration. It was caught on a perch trap (intended for migrating Brown Shrikes Lanius cristatus) placed on hills of cultivated sisal (Agave sp.). This paper resulted from research during the Migratory Animal Pathological Survey, a project suppotted by the U.S. Army Research and Development Group (Far East), Depart- ment of the Army under Grant No. DA-CRD-AFE-S92-5 44-68-G130. I also wish to thank the staff of the American Museum of Natural History for permission to use their collection. [Bull. B.O.C. 1977: 97(3)] 104 References: King, B. F., Woodcock, M. W. & Dickinson, E. C. 1975. A Field Guide to the Birds of South-East Asia. Collins. London. Vaurie, C. 1949. A revision of the bird family Dicrutridae. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 93(4): 203-342. Address: 3761 Park Ave., Coconut Grove, Fla., 33133, USA. Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature: Opinions In continuation of Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 97, 1977: 31, and by permission of the International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature, the following Ruling is quoted as an extract from an Opinion published in Bu//. Zool. Nomencl. affecting birds: OPINION 1069 (Bull. Zool. Nomencel. 33(3/4), 1977: 162) Correction of entry in Official List of Family-Group Names in Zoology fot Name Number 428 (Thraupidae). (1) The request to use the plenary powers to suppress all uses of the family-group name Thraupidae (Aves) prior to its use by Wetmore & Miller, 1926, is refused. (z) The entry for Name Number 428 on the Official List of Family-Group Names in Zoology is hereby corrected to read: Thraupidae, Cabanis, 1847 (type-genus Thraupis Boie, 1826) (Class Aves). The following Rulings in Opinions are summarised: OPINION 1068 (Bull. Zool. Nomencl. 33(3/4), 1977: 159) Leptosomatidae in Aves and Nematoda; resolution of homonym arising from similarity in the names of the type genera. Leptosomidae (type-genus Leptosomus) to be used in Aves, Leptosomatidae (type-genus Lepfosomatum) in Nematoda. OPINION 1070 (Bull. Zool. Nomencl. 33(3/4), 1977: 165) Archaeopteryx lithographica von Meyer, 1861 (Aves) given precedence ovet Prerodactylus crassipes von Meyer, 1857. IN BRIEF The Bald Ibis or Waldrapp Geronticus eremita in Ethiopia In view of the present low numbers of the Waldrapp or Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita, whose world population of breeding pairs was down to about 150 in 1972 (Parslow (1973) Bull. Brit. Orn. C7. 93: 163-166), it is worth recording a party of six at 9° 32’ N, 39° 29’ E, one km northeast of Chacha, Shoa Province, Ethiopia, on 22 January 1977. They were feeding on open highland grassland, with patches of cultivation, at about 2879 m, and permitted approach close enough to photograph them. They flew off and joined a party of about 15 Wattled Ibis Bostrychia carunculata with which they fed and flew. On being disturbed by shepherds they rose high into the air and were last seen alone in a compact flock at a great height soaring in a thermal. Smith (Bull. Brit. Orn. C7. (1970) 90: 18— 24) summarised the knowledge of this bird’s distribution in Ethiopia, and refers to his own observations round Addis Ababa in 1941 and 1952. The latter, a flock of about 100 some 80 km northeast of the capital, must have been very close to the 1977 locality. There have been no records in the interim, in spite of frequent searches in recent years, but the species could easily be overlooked amongst the common B. carunculata in the hundreds of square km of suitable habitat—most of it only accessible on foot. 5 February 1977 \TISH ca ue J. S. Ash 2 air 4 “NAMRU 5, APO New York 09319, U.S.A. sig T. R. HOWELL Dept. of Biology Rin £ of Califor ia, Los Angeles, California 90024, U.S.A. O Os f —— : Mearersenth" saint dort). “ohaety set im Mes Brg D scclinis *rigcehs ree Soy Eto em owas! 7% Bay. Ps th 2 sf 10 anh oe i} er. hy Um : wie He rete. Sa! y aes ¥ bee ea reel " pansl fj 7215 | 6 oe UR ew Fae. Pe kis: zi ss4CRE an tie 55% raha ya < nants Meshes ah ere gest 35 20 care oe cig 2 TO Seiee 9 -eteee & f " oe %r a 4 ¢ : a y ? itt bf * Sh ES Bhar Lage ike sbakes?. 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Ay Cy Arye hs F - Y x te POT eM Ramer ya ae. i ae one aed rae: ses mot ANG Me peep 4a Saye ny, : 2 gr “3 a1 na: PAT ie bets papell rt Lo made oi ae ne take el ott age: uw % htiscles Mechs he Fee = ne NOTICE TO CONTRIBUTORS Papers, whether by Club Members or by non-members, should be sent to the Editor, Dr. J. F. Monk, The Glebe Cottage, Goring, Reading RG8 9AP, and are accepted on the understanding that they are offered solely for publication in the Bulletin. They should be typed on one side of the paper, with double- spacing and a wide margin, and submitted with a duplicate copy on airmail aper. Scientific nomenclature and the style and lay-out of papers and of Refer- ences should conform with usage in this or recent issues of the Bulletin, unless a departure is explained and justified. Photographic illustrations, although welcome, can only be accepted if the contributor is willing to pay for their reproduction. 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Send all orders and remit- tances in sterling, unless an addition of 5op is made to cover bank charges, to the Hon. Treasurer. Single issues may be obtained as back numbers (see above). CORRESPONDENCE Correspondence about Club meetings and other matters not mentioned above should go to the Hon. Secretary, R. E. F. Peal, 24 Creighton Avenue, London N10 1NU. Published by the BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB and printed by The Caxton and Holmesdale Press, 104 London Road Sevenoaks Kent. ISSN 0007 - 1595 RY, 7 ~ to. q Oy &% DY Bulletin British Ornithologists’ Club Edited by Dr. J. F. MONK Volume 97 No. 4 December 1977 FORTHCOMING MEETINGS TUESDAY, 17 JANUARY 1978 at 6.30 p.m. for 7 p.m. at the Senior Common Room, South Side, Imperial College, South Kensington (entrance on the south side of Prince’s Gardens, $.W.7, on the E. side of Exhibition Road, between the Victoria and Albert Museum and Hyde Park). Dr. J. G. Harrison, O.B.E., on “Indian Interlude’. Those wishing to attend should send a cheque for £3.80 a person to the Hon. Secretary with their acceptance on the enclosed slip, to arrive not later than first post on Thursday, 12 January. TUESDAY, 14 Marcu 1978 at 6.30 for 7 p.m. at the Goat Tavern, 3 Stafford Street, W.1. (between Old Bond Street and Ablemarle Street, nearest Underground station, Green Park). Dr. Bruce Campbell, O.B.E., on “‘Prob- lems of Gravel Pits”. Those wishing to attend should send a cheque for £2.60 a person to the Hon. Secretary with their acceptance on the enclosed slip, to arrive not later than first post on Wednesday, 8 March. Please note this meeting is on the SECOND Tuesday in March. Details of the meeting in May 1978 will be published in the next number of the Bulletin. It is hoped that the speaker will be a distinguished American ornithologist. COMMITTEE P. Hogg (Chairman) Dr. G. Beven (Vice-Chairman) R. E. F. Peal (Hon. Secretary) M. St.J. Sugg (Hon. Treasurer) Dr. J. F. Monk (Editor) Mrs. J. D. Bradley C. E. Wheeler B. Gray V. F. Mann —— ee mre 105 [Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 1977: 97(4)] Bulletin of the BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS’ CLUB Vol.97 No.4 Published: 20 December 1977 The seven hundred and eighth meeting of the Club was held at the Senior Common Room, South Side, Imperial College, London, S.W.7 at 6.45 p.m. on Thursday, 15 September 1977. Chairman: Dr. G. Beven, M.D.; present 14 members and 12 guests. Professor V. C. Wynne-Edwards, C.B.E., F.R.S., F.R.S.E. gave an address of outstand- ing interest on ‘Social competition controlling population density in birds’. Professor Wynne-Edwards first discussed the factors suggested by Darwin as being responsible for limiting animal numbers, namely predation, disease, climate and food supply, giving examples of circumstances in which they were clearly effective. These factors did not alone, however, account sufficiently for the remarkably constant sizes of populations of some animals. He next considered the function of territorial systems in preventing the carrying capacity of a habitat being exceeded. Examples of this included beavers (Castor spp.), with the need to prevent destruction of their habitat by excessive timber felling; and Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), whete a social hierarchy gave the best feeding territories to hinds in calf. He then dealt at some length with Red Grouse (Lagopus lagopus), pointing out that population size was not governed by predation or disease. With this bird, size of territory was correlated with the quantity and quality of its main food, namely heathers (Ca/luna vulgaris and Erica spp.) and with success in obtaining a territory. Territorial success was related to hormonal condition, with competition for territories largely governed by strong social conventions. In conclusion Professor Wynne-Edwards emphasized that animals which limit their numbers do so for the common good. He explained that he no longer supported the concept of group selection since clearly genes leading to lowered fertility would be selected against and eliminated. Nevertheless, he considered epideictic displays (i.e. communal manoeuvres, especially at dusk and dawn) were of vital importance as part of the system of control of populations by social mechanisms. The address gave rise to a highly stimulating discussion. The Seven hundred and ninth meeting of the Club was held at the Senior Common Room, South Side, Imperial College, London, S.W.7 at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, 15 November 1977. Chairman: Mr. P. Hogg; present 24 members and 17 guests. Mrs. Stephanie Tyler, Ph.D., spoke on the “Avifauna of Ethiopia’, illustrating her talk with slides of the birds and habitats. She provided much recent information on the distribution of birds there and included observations made during the period she was held captive in 1976 and 1977, largely in montane country. Weights of Some Puerto Rican Birds by Storrs L. Olson and J. Phillip Angle Received 17 May 1977 For a number of biological and evolutionary studies it has become increasing- ly important to know the weights of various taxa of birds. Few figures are available for species in the West Indies, where it is important to have data from many localities because of the number of species endemic to single islands and because the races of polytypic species can differ greatly in size from island to island (e.g. Spindalis). Apart from certain studies of indi- vidual species, the only figures for the weights of Puerto Rican birds appear to be those for 20 species given by Oniki (1975). From 14 to 30 April 1977 we collected 279 specimens of 47 species of birds in Puerto Rico, mainly for preparation as skeletons to provide comparative material for identifying a large series of Pleistocene fossils obtained pre- viously on the island. Each of these was weighed while fresh on an Ohaus formalin. Most of our specimens were collected in one of four localities: dry scrub in Guanica Forest Reserve (where, due to drought, few species were breeding); montane forest in Maricao Forest Reserve; coffee plantations neat Utuado; and pastureland around Laguna Cartagena. Since our sample sizes were usually small, we have simply listed the weight of each individual to the nearest 0:1 gm. Falco sparverius caribaearum: 3 87-8 Rallus longirostris caribaeus: 2 247°9 Charadrius w. wilsonia: 2 61-2 Columba squamosa: 3 326°2 Zenaida m. macroura: 9 108-0 Columbina passerina portoricensis: 3 32-8, 33°4, 35°3, 39°93 2 30°1, 35°4, 35°85 37°7> 38°5- Geotrygon m. montana: § 126°2, 140°0;Q2 116-1, 117°2, 122°9, 126°0, 141°4 Saurothera vieilloti: 8 73°55, 74°5, 83°43 2 87°9, 96°9 Crotophaga ani: 2 82-0 Otus n. nudipes: 3 118+0, 132°35,142°7; 2 102°9, 154°0 Caprimulgus noctitherus: 3 34°95, 35°5, 36°6 Chlorostilbon maugaeus: § 2°85, 2°95, 3°1, 3°1, 3°1, 3°55 (fat); Q 2°8, 2°8, 2°85, 2:9, 2°9, 3°O, 3°05, 3°2 Anthracothorax dominicus aurulentus: 3 §+4,5°5,5°9, 6°0, 6:0, 6:1, 6:2, 6°33 9 §-2, 573 Anthracothorax viridis: 38 6-7, 6°9, 6°95, 7°1359 6°5 Todus pais 3 S59 325745 5°59 5.6, 5°, 559. 5795 5.2952, 6° 4,.6°75 2 $74,573 6558ex 2 5°2, 5°8, 6-0 Melanerpes portoricensis: 3 53:9, 56°6, 58°5, 65:8, 67°13; 9 45°7, 49°1, 49°9, 52°6, 55°1, 58-0, 59°4 / Tyrannus d. dominicensis: 3 47-1 Myiarchus stolidus antillarum: 3 22°8, 23°3, 23°3, 23°8, 25°3;Q 22:0, 22°6, 22°9, 23°3, 24°1 Contopus latirostris blancoi: § 11°0, 11°4, 11°5, 11°73 9 9°25, 9°7, 9°8, 10°0, 10-0 Elaenia martinica riisii: $ 19*1, 19°1532 18°3 ci sale ia G 15°2, 15 °3,116"0, 16°50, 'TG6"1, 16925 "1735S 15-255 1 ee ae or ee 16°85 Mimus polyglottos orpheus: 49°73; 2 60°7 Margarops f. fuscatus: 3 89°7, 89°9, 91°6, 92°3, 106°7; 2 88°35, 96-2 Turdus plumbeus ardosiaceus: 3 70*9, 72°7, 82°95, 83°35; ¢ 60°1, 64°4, 66-2, 67°9 Vireo latimeri:?\$ 10°6, 10°95, 11°4, II°4, 12°53 Q 10°2, Io*3, To°4, Ii, 11°35, 12-7; Sex) PkOc7, Tie 25,00 e4s 25 Vireo a. altiloquus: 3 20-0, 20°8; 2 20°35, 22°1 Mnhiotilta varia: 2 10-0 Parula americana: 8 7°539.7°0, 6°5 Dendroica petechia cruciana: § 11°7, 13°13 10°4, 10°5, 10°8, 11°4 Dendroica tigrina: 2 10°2 Dendroica caerulescens: 8 10°0 (no fat visible), 13-0 (heavy fat) Dendroica a. adelaidae: 3 6°8, 7°1, 7°2, 7°3, 8°15 2 6°2, 6°35, 6°6, 6°75, 6°8 Seiurus aurocapillus: 9 18-85 (heavy fat) Geothlypis t. trichas: 3 9+4, 10°35 Geothlypis trichas ignota: $ 11-6 Setophaga ruticilla: 2 6+5 Coereba flaveola portoricensis: 8 9*0,9°1, 9°2, 9°83 8°2, 9°3, 9°35 Euphonia musica sclateri: 8 12+4, 12°5, 13°1, 13°83 2 13°35, 14°35 Spindalis ena portoricensis :3 29+2, 30°6, 33°232 32°4 Nesospingus speculiferus: 3 32°6, 35°65, 36°4, 36°5, 37°25, 37° 4, 37° 7, 38°15 2 31°0, 31°7, _ 37°0, 37°2, 37°95, 39°73 SEX P 32°5, 35°6, 35°8, 36°55 Quiscalus niger brachypterus: 3 80+9, 85°8, 86°4, 89°5, 93°1; 2 61°9, 62-2, 66-2, 66-4, 67°2 Icterus dominicensis portoricensis: 3 41°§, 42°1, 42°15, 44°9 Icterus icterus ridgwayi: 3 75+33967°5 Agelaius x. xanthomus: 3 39°%, 41°4 Tiaris olivacea bryanti: 3 8-0, 8°75, 2 8°2; [Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 1977: 97(4)] 106 triple-beam balance. We were able also to determine the sex of all specimens except a few of sexually non-dimorphic species that were preserved whole in 107 [Bull, Brit. Orn. Cl. 1977: 97(4)] Tiaris bicolor omissa: 3 9°3,9°6, 9°9, 10°03 2 9°1, 9°5, 9°8, 10°4 Loxigilla p. portoricensis: § 31°13, 32°0, 32°8, 34°4, 34°7, 34°7, 34°8, 34°9, 351, 35°8, 38°0, 39°1; 2 23°74, 26°0, 26°5, 27°8, 29°4, 31°5, 32°6, 36°75; Sex ? 27°3, 29°5, 31°3, 34°6 Esstrilda amandava: 3 8-6 Acknowledgements: This study was supported by a grant from the National Geographic Society and was greatly facilitated through the cooperation of the Department of Natural Resources of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, in which connection the aid of Mr. Herbert Raffaele was of particular importance. We thank George A. Clark for comments on the manuscript. Reference: Oniki, Y. 1975. Temperatures of some Puerto Rican birds with note of low temperatures in todies. Condor 77: 344. Address: Division of Birds, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560 U.S.A. Review of the records of three Palaearctic ducks in Southern Africa by A. Clark Received 26 May 1977 Moreau (1972) lists eleven species of Palaearctic duck which can be found wintering in East Africa. Of these the Garganey Axas querquedula is the most common, while the only other species consistently wintering south of the Sahara in large numbers is the Noithern Pintail Anas acuta. The wintering distribution of the European Shoveler Axas clypeata is similar to that of the Northern Pintail but the numbers are less. These three species occasionally penetrate south of latitude 10°S. As certain authors have been unable to accept the occurrence of the Ruropean Shoveler in the Cape Province as that of a genuine migrant (Benson & Grimwood 1959, Winterbottom & Middlemiss 1960) it was felt that the position could be clarified by bringing together and reviewing all records for Zambia, Malawi, Botswana, Rhodesia, Mozambique, South West Africa (S.W.A.) and the Republic of South Africa (R.S.A.) of the three species mentioned above. GARGANEY >> moist semi-deciduous dry semi-deciduous moist semi-deciduous >? 2? 9? >> o> 29 upland evergreen moist semi-deciduous dry semi-deciduous moist semi-deciduous dry semi-deciduous 29 23 Description primary forest except on edge closed secondary forest Cocoa, some open farmland Cocoa, some open farmland Cocoa, some open farmland closed secondary forest closed secondary forest mosaic with cocoa farms cocoa, some open farmland very mixed, with primary and secondary forest; cocoa, oil palm, rubber and citrus farms mosaic, with cocoa closed secondary forest ptimary forest cocoa farm closed secondary forest small patches of secondary forest in cocoa farming area closed secondary forest, but with considerable active farming within reserve cocoa, transitional forest (forest- savanna boundary), some open farmland, and grassland Note: Pra Suhien and Kakum F.R. are on the boundary between the moist evergreen and moist semi-deciduous zones. The bird fauna is more typical of the former type. [Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 1977: 97(4)] 118 excellent conditions for observation. English nomenclature follows Banner- man (1953) and the scientific names and sequence follow Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1970, 1973). Unless otherwise stated, information on previously known distribution and status is ‘taken from these works. Casstn’s Hawxk-EaGLe Cassinaetus africanus. Previously considered rate, this little-known eagle was seen regularly between August and December 1976 and in April and June 1977 at sites 2, 4, 6, 7, 13 and 18. At one site 2 birds were displaying together in the air, at another a single adult was calling petsistently from a perch, and on 16 December 1976 a nest containing one well-grown chick was found in the Pra Suhien Forest Reserve. The bulky nest was ¢ 20m above the ground, and the single adult in attendance was silent and unobtrusive. On 4 June 1977 a freshly fledged youngster was calling loudly from a perch only 1-5m from the same nest, strongly suggest- ing double-brooding. Recently the species was discovered in Ivory Coast (Brunel & Thiollay 1969) and Liberia (Serle et a/. 1977) but previously was not known from west of about 0° 30’ E. BLACK-COLLARED LOVEBIRD Agapornis swinderniana. ‘Two birds were seen at the Pra Suhien F.R. (site 6) on 12 June 1977. Up to 10 together were seen at Bia (site 1) on 4 occasions between 7 and 10 April 1977, and at least 7 at Kakum F.R. (site 7) were watched feeding on strangler figs on 12 June 1977. Apart from one overlooked record from 1902 (Snow 1976) these are the only records of the species between Liberia and Cameroun. LAUGHING HornsILL Bycanistes fistulator. Over most of the area birds resembled B. f. fistulator (Piping Hornbill). At the Atewa Range F.R. (site 13) 3 birds on 1 and 9 August 1976, and at Worobong F.R. (site 15) 2 birds on 15 October 1976 showed the more swollen bill and greater amount of white in the wing and (especially) the tail characteristic of B. f. sharpiz. We have once recorded B. f. fistulator at Atewa. The Afram River (now much altered by the Volta Dam) was considered the boundary between the two forms, so these records represent a 60 km westward extension to the known range of sharpii. Picuter Verreauxia africana. ‘Two birds, one fitting exactly the descrip- tion of an adult female Piculet and the other (rather duller and lacking the bright 1ed eye-patch) possibly a young bird, were seen together near Akutuase (site 5) on 27 January 1977. This appears to be the first record from anywhere in Upper Guinea, although a doubtful report from Nigetia was quoted by Bannerman (1953). Sub-specific differences between Upper and Lower Guinea fo1ms of this and other species new to Upper Guinea may be expected if specimens are ever obtained. Bates’ Swirt Apus batesi. A small black swift with strikingly rapid fluttering flight was seen at close range in Subri R.F.R. (site 2) on 26 August (at least 1), 4 September (at least 4) and 25 December (1). We feel this can only be Bates’ Swift, a species known from Lower Guinea and of which there are also unconfirmed reports from Sierra Leone and Guinea-Conakry and another sight-record from Liberia (Serle e¢ a/. 1977). CHAPIN’S SPINE-TAILED Swirt Te/acanthura melanopygia. As recently as 1966 this species was considered endemic to the Lower Guinea forest 119 [Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 1977: 97(4)] (Moreau 1966). In 1972 it was found near Tafo (site 16) (L. Grimes pers. comm.) and in 1975 in Nigeria (Elgood 1975). We have found it widely distributed (sites 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14 and 16) and in places common in forest reserves, cocoa farms and mosaic forest. Whether the species has been overlooked or has recently colonized Upper Guinea remains unknown. NEHRKORN’S YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER Hylota violacea. Bitds with the characteristics of H. v. nehrkorni (no white wing-bar) were found at sites I-9, 12, 16, 17 and 18. Its preferred habitat appears to be cocoa farm and open secondary growth. This little-known race was originally described from Ghana and is now known to occur as far west as Liberia, as well as being much commoner in Ghana than was previously thought. BLACK-CROWNED FLYCATCHER Tvochocercus nigromitratus. One bird was seen well at Kakum F.R. (site 7) on 5 January 1977 ina “bird army’. We found it on 3 occasions at Bia (site 1) (1, 1 and 4 birds) between 5 and 8 April 1977; at Kakum again on 12 June 1977 (1) and at Atewa (site 13) on 19 June 1977 (several). It is known in Upper Guinea from Liberia, but we know of no other records between there and Nigeria. SHARPE’s Apauis Apalis sharpei. Three individuals were seen in the Atewa Range F.R. (site 13) on 1 August 1976, 3—4m up, in a mixed flock. At Bia (site 1) on 7 April 1977 a pair was seen feeding two fledged young at a height of ¢ 4-5m and on 8 April a single male was seen feeding at ¢ 25m up in a flowering tree in which a single female was also seen on 10 April. On zo April 1977 at Worobong F.R. (site 15) a pair was watched feeding low down in a mixed flock. At Subri R.F.R. (site 2), on 2 June 1977, 2 females were with a mixed flock, and at Kakum F.R. (site 7) a single female and a pair were foraging alone. The plumage of the young seen on 7 April was quite different from that of the adults and appears not to have been described. They were dark grey above, pale yellow below washed grey on the upper breast, bill dark above and pale below, the gape pink. The young emitted a continuous rapid nasal twitter. This species is known from a few specimens taken between Ghana and Sierra Leone, and has rarely been seen. Close relatives (sometimes regarded as conspecific) occur in Lower Guinea and East Africa (Hall & Moreau 1962). Dusxy Tir Parus funereus. Two adults were seen feeding a fledged youngster at Worobong (site 15) on 20 April 1977, and 1 adult with 1 imma- ture bird begging for food were seen at Atewa (site 13) on 21 May 1977. Bannerman (1953) recorded only 1 specimen from Upper Guinea (from Elmina in south Ghana), but it has since been recorded from Liberia (Hall & Moreau 1970). CassIn’s WEAVER Malimbus cassini. At least 3 males were seen with Red-headed Weavers M. rubricollis, Red-vented Weavers M. scutatus and other species at Tafo (site 16) on 25 July 1976. They were feeding on fruit. Two groups of Malimbus weavers at Subri R.F.R. (site 2) on 25 December 1976 and 6 February 1977 were probably also Cassin’s Weavers. We have seen 7 nests taken at Tafo which are probably of Cassin’s Weavers; the length of the entrance tube of 5 of them was 60-88cm (mean 73cm), which contrasts with corresponding measurements of 4 nests of Red-vented Weavers (typical of about 20 which we have seen in Ghana) of 30-46cm (mean 39cm). This [Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 1977: 97(4)] 120 Lower Guinea species was previously not known to occur west of Nigeria, which was included in its range on the basis of sight records (Moreau 1958) by Bannerman and Mackworth-Praed & Grant, but excluded by El- good (1964, 1975). Moreau (1958) discussed and rejected Chapin’s (1954) inference that M. cassini and M. scutatus are conspecific, a decision given some support by our observations. RED-FRONTED ANT-PECKER Parmoptila rubrifrons. A pait was seen together at Kakum F.R. (site 7) on 5 January 1977 feeding close together at c¢ 4m in Raphia and behaving much as the Tiny Tit-Weaver Pholidornis rushiae. Bannerman described the species as ‘extremely rare’ when it was known only from Ghana. It has now been found as far west as Liberia and is represented also in Lower Guinea. We are grateful to the Ghana Department of Game and Wildlife for allowing us to visit Bia National Park and especially to Dr. Claude Martin, the Warden, for arranging accom- modation and for his helpful advice. Dr. D. W. Snow drew our attention to his paper on Agapornis. References: Bannerman, D. A. 1953. The Birds of West and Equatorial Africa, Oliver and Boyd, Edin- burgh and London. Brunel, J. & Thiollay, J. M. 1969. Liste preliminaire des oiseaux de Cote-d’Ivoire. Alauda 7(3): 230-254. Chapin, J.P. 1954. The birds of the Belgian Congo, Part 4. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 75B. Elgood, J. H. 1965. Provisional check-list of the birds of Nigeria. Bull. Nigerian Orn. Soc. 1: 13-25. — peas The new Nigerian check-list. Bull, Nigerian Orn. Soc. 11: 68-73 Hall, B. P. & Moreau, R. E. 1962. A study of the rare birds of Africa. Bul Brit. Mus. Nat. "Hist. 8: 316-378. — — 1970. An Aftlas of Speciation in African Passerine Birds. Trustees of the British Museum (Nat. Hist.). London. Hall, J. B. & Swaine, M. D. 1976. Classification and ecology of closed-canopy forest in Ghana. J. Ecol. 64: 913-951. Mackworth-Praed, C. W. & Grant, C. H. B. 1970, 1973. Birds of West and Central Africa, vols. 1 and 2. Longman, London. Moreau, R. E. 1958. The Malimbus spp. as an evolutionary problem. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. 57: 241-255 — 1966. The Bird Faunas of Africa and its Islands. Academic Press, New York and London. Serle, W., Morel, G. J. & Hartwig, W. 1977. A Field Guide to ‘the Birds of West Africa, Collins, London. Snow, D. W. 1976. Agapornis swinderniana in Ghana. Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 96: 106. Addresses: M. A. Macdonald, Dept. of Zoology, University of Cape Coast, Ghana. I, R. Taylor, Dept. of Zoology, University of Ghana, Legon. (Present address: Dept. of Forestry and Natural Resourses, University of Edinburgh, Scotland). Willow Warbler Phy/oscopus trochilus on Frigate Island, Seychelles by E. H. Penry Received 22 July 1977 On 12 November 1976 whilst visiting Frigate Island, Seychelles, a Phyllosco- pus warbler was found foraging in typical manner in the canopy of a ttee. My immediate impression was that it was a Willow Warbler PhyHoscopus trochilus, a species with which I am familiar in Zambia and from Britain, but as it was some 30m distant I walked rapidly towards the tree and viewed the 121 [Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 1977: 97(4)] bird from about 20m for only about 10 seconds before it was chased out of the tree by a territorial male Madagascar Fody Foudia madagascariensis. However before it flew, it called with the characteristic call of a Willow Warbler “see wit’’, ““seewit, seewit”. The following features were noted— phylloscopine warbler shape, small thin black bill, upperside plain olive- grey-green, slightly greyer on rump and tail, superciliary pale yellow; underside, very pale yellow wash on throat and upper chest merging to brown wash on sides of chest; remainder of underside white. The leg colour was not noted. There were no other species on Frigate with which the bird could have been confused and no other passerine migrants were seen there that day. I am not familiar with Chiffchaff P. co//ybita in Afiica, but know it in Bri- tain. Its occurrence on Frigate is far less likely than that of the Willow Warbler cf Moreau (1972: 306), Benson (1972), Frith (1974: 16-17). Wood Warbler P. sbi/atrix has once been recorded from Aldabra, on 12 December 1972 (Frith 1974). I had seen this species with Willow Warblers on the edge of Kakamega Forest, Kenya, a week previously. The west-east variation in Willow Warblers is noticeable in Zambia, where probably most forms of the cline are represented (Benson é¢ a/. 1971: 243). The bird seen on Frigate was much less yellow below than many Willow Warblers seen in Zambia and was not confusable with Wood Warbler. Penny (1974: 152) gives but two records, both from the Amirantes, and they may indeed be based on one and the same bird, from African Banks, 5 S, 53° E (Church 1971, Benson 1972). Benson (pers. comm.) assures me that Tony Beamish (quoted by Church) and H. H. Beamish (quoted by him- self) are one and the same person. Dr. G. E. Watson had drawn Benson’s attention (pers. comm. to Benson 13 April 1973) to Church’s note, having been with Beamish on the same cruise of the Lindblad Explorer under the direction of Dr. Lyall Watson, and he too identified the bird as a P. trochilus, not a “new variety” of the “Brush Warbler” as suggested by Church. References: Benson, C. W. 1972. Some land bird migrants in the western Indian Ocean. A/ol] Res. Bull. 162: 10-11. — “ay R. K., Dowsett, R. J. & Irwin, M. P. S. 1971. The Birds of Zambia. London: Ollins. Church, C. 1971. Discovery on ‘African Bank’. Africana 4(5): 23, 41. Frith, C. B. 1974. New observations of migrants and vagrants from Aldabra, Farquhar and Astove Atolls, Indian Ocean. Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 94: 12-19. Moreau, R. E. 1972. The Palaearctic-African Bird Migration Systems. London and New York: Academic Press. Penny, M. 1974. The Birds of Seychelles and the outlying islands. London: Collins. Address: P.O. Box 1900, Kitwe, Zambia. Field notes on the nests of the Green-fronted Lancebill Doryfera /udoviciae and the Blue-fronted Lancebill Doryfera johannae by Barbara K. Snow ¢» M. Gochfeld Received 25 July 1977 The phylogenetic relationship of the two species of Lancebill Doryfera to the hermit group of hummingbirds and to other hummingbirds has been [Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 1977: 97(4)] 122 uncertain. Placed by Peters (1945) at the beginning of the Trochilidae, Wetmore (1968) moved them to a position at the end of the hermits near where Ridgway (1911) had originally placed them. Wetmore’s move was in accordance with the arrangement of A. Ruschi (1965) based on the form of the nest. The lancebills most striking morphological character is their long, straight and very fine pointed bill. The plumage is mainly dull for a hummingbird except that both species have a patch of iridescent feathers on the forehead which is found in both sexes in the Green-fronted Lancebill D. /udoviciae but only in the male in the sexually dimorphic Blue-fronted Lancebill D. johannae. Both species are confined to mountainous areas, D. jobannae in southeast Venezuela and the adjacent area of Brazil and Guyana and along the eastern base of the eastern Andes of Colombia, Ecuador and N. E. Peru; D. ludoviciae, more widely in the upper tropical and sub-tropical zones of the central highlands of Costa Rica, western Panama and the Andes of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and N.W. Bolivia, occurring in both the western and eastern Andes of Colombia and Ecuador. Except for an account of a single nest of the Green-fronted Lancebill found by A. Ruschi (1961) there are no published field observations on the nesting or any other activities of the lancebills. The following separate observations on both species have been amalgamated for convenience of future reference. A nest of D. /udoviciae was found on 13 September 1972 by M. Gochfeld and G. S. Keith at Pan de Azucar, 25km west of San Ramon, in the Chancho- mayo Valley, Department of Junin, Peru. The nest was in subtropical forest (elevation 1500m), placed on a 4cm wide rock ledge ¢ 3m above the stream bed. It was an open cup constructed of tendrils, fine threads of plant material and dried moss measuring 5 x 3cm and 2cm deep. The cup itself was about 2 -s aoe 3 $ 3 es f “ <é ; 4 ? i x é y L G 7 ¢ 7 sc a WY eg by ere Figure 1. Pendent nest of the Blue-fronted Lancebill Doryfera johannae. 29mm. The length of the whole structure was 110mm. The egg, which un- fortunately got broken latet, was unincubated. The nest is deposited in the British Museum. On 25 July, 10 days later, it was noticed that a male and female D. johannae were very active at the mouth of this same cave shaft. On 6 of the following 8 days, observations totalling 84 hours were made on these two individuals. Until midday on 1 August both male and female were persistently present at the shaft mouth. The male spent his time either perching on the uppermost twigs of a small dead tree overhanging the mouth of the shaft or flying round the shaft mouth ¢ 15m above it. Every few minutes, both while perched and while flying, he uttered a high-pitched chittering call. During the morn- ing obsetvations on 26, 27 and 30 July the female was largely engaged in collecting nest material and diving into the shaft with it. She was twice watched pulling moss off a tree, each time the same one, near the mouth of the shaft, uttering a quiet ‘click-clack’ between each unsuccessful pull before eventually pulling off a piece and speeding into the cave with it. She was also watched collecting cobweb and taking it into the cave, but mostly she was lost to view while collecting material and only her exits and entrances to the cave wete recorded. The most sustained bout of building observed was between 0935 and 1015 hours on 30 July when she made 7 visits into the shaft; the time spent in the cave varied from 1 to 6 minutes, averaging 2:8 minutes. When hovering up out of the shaft the female often uttered a quiet clicking call, reminiscent of echo-locating clicks; she sometimes rested at the rim of the shaft. She flew down into the shaft at tremendous speed, the only features then visible against the dark mouth of the shaft being the pale tips to the outer tail feathers and the pale bluish-grey bars on the tail coverts. When flying down from the forest 25m above she did not reduce speed in any way as she entered the dark of the shaft. When not engaged in nest building the female often perched in the same dead tree as the male, sometimes only 4ocm away from him. From there she frequently flew beside or just in front [Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 1977: 97(4)] 124 of him on his flights round the mouth of the shatt. During both activities she also uttered the chittering call. At times the male flew down and met the female as she emerged from the shaft, and twice he displayed his bright yellow gape while hovering at the shaft rim near her. During a watch from 1000 to 1130 hrs on 1 August the female only entered the shaft once, but was frequently present at the mouth either perched near the male or flying round with him uttering the chittering call. Once when she was flying just in front of him, she landed briefly on the flat wide blade of a Heliconia leaf while he hovered just above her. It looked as if copulation was about to occur but she flew on and out of view. Probably copulation did take place that morning as the female was absent that afternoon and the following moining. During the same period the male was only rarely present and was mostly silent. For a few minutes while the female was collecting nest material on 30 July a third D. johannae was in the vicinity of the shaft. The male chased the intru- der and once made a steep U-shaped dive at it while it was perched at the rim of the shaft. The sex of this third bird was not determined. The other shaft in the Los Tayos cave system was 65m away and used by members of the expedition entering the caves. An expedition member reported seeing a small dark hummingbird, most probably a lancebill, half way down this shaft. A female D. johannae was collected by L. Albuja ¢ 400m further up the valley. The evidence relating to the unknown hummingbird’s nest collected on 15 July to the building and courtship activities of the lancebills is strong but remains a supposition. The 10 day interval between the removal of the nest and the female building, presumably to replace it, is similar to the intervals recorded between loss and replacement of eggs in the Rufous-breasted (Hairy) Hermit Glaucis hirsuta (Snow & Snow 1973). The fact that D. johannae is confined to mountainous country accords with a need for a specialized nest-site in a rocky habitat. Nests sited only in caves would seem too restrictive a requirement and it is probable that nests are also fixed under deep overhangs in rocky gorges. The only other humming- bird known to suspend its nest in the same way as D. johannae is the Andean Hillstar Oreotrochilus estella; it nests both in caves and under overhanging rocky ledges (Carpenter 1976). Throughout observations the male D. johannae made frequent fly-catching sallies from his perch at the mouth of the shaft, and the female was once seen feeding in this way. No nectar feeding was observed. The same insect catching technique was used by D. /udoviciae. Observations on the insect catching of hermit hummingbirds (Snow & Snow 1972) showed them hover- ing to glean resting invertebrates, so in this respect the group differs from the lancebills. Even such brief observations as these suggest that both species of Lance- bill have some specialized aspects of their life histories, and possibly both require a rocky habitat for nesting. As one species has a pendent nest and the other a cup-shaped one supported from below, nest-type is probably not a useful criteria for classification. Acknowledgement: The observations of B. K. Snow were made while a member of the joint Ecuadorean-British Expedition and I should like to thank the Los Tayos Expedition 1976 Trust Limited for their logistic and financial support. 125 [Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 1977: 97(4)] References : Carpenter, F. L. 1976. Ecology and evolution of an Andean hummingbird, Oreotrochilus estella. Univ. of Calif. Publ. in Zoology 106: 1-74. Peters, J. L. 1945. Check-list of Birds of the World. V. Cambridge, Mass.: Mus. Comp. Zool. Ridgway, R. 1911. The birds of North and Middle America Pt. V. U.S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 50. Ruschi, A. 1961. Algumas observacgoes sobre: Phaethornis yaruqui yarqui (Bourcier), Colibri coruscans coruscans (Gould), etc. Bolm. Mus. Biol. Prof. Mello-Leitao 27: 1-21. — 1965. A posicao mantida no ninho pelas femeas de beija-flores durante a incubagao, e durante o aquecimento da prdéle. Bolm Mus. Biol. Prof. Mello-Leitao 48: 1-3. Snow B. K. & D. W. Snow 1972. The feeding ecology of hummingbirds in a Trinidad valley. J. Anim. Ecol., 41: 471-485. Snow D. W. & Snow B. K. 1973. The breeding of the Hairy Hermit Glaucis hirsuta in Trinidad. Ardea 61: 106-122. Wetmore, A. 1968. The Birds of the Republic of Panama. Smithsonian Misc. Coll. part 2. Addresses: Barbara K. Snow, Old Forge, Wingrave, Aylesbury, Bucks, England. M. Gochfeld, 147-54 Village Road, Jamaica, New York 11435, U.S.A. New faunistic records from Gabon by A. Brosset C& C. Erard Received 8 August 1977 In compiling a list of birds from the northeast of Gabon for restricted labora- tory use, we have found it desirable to publish details of the occurrence of certain species not previously recorded at all or only on the basis of a few specimens. The following records were obtained during annual or biannual expeditions by A. B. during 1963-77 and by C. E. during 1972-77 to the Laboratoire de Primatologie et d’Ecologie Equatoriale (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris) at Makokou (0° 38’ N, 12° 47’ E). Investiga- tions extended as far as Booué (0° 03’ S, 11° 58’ E), Bélinga (1° 10’ N, 13° 10’ EK) and Mékambo (1° 03’ N, 13° 50’ B), in the province of Ogooué- Ivindo. 401 species were identified, including 343 in the 2 km* which include the clearing around the station of M’Passa, where the laboratory and ecologi- cal quadrats bordering primary forest are established. M’Passa is only 10 km southwest of Makokou, and both are in the vicinity of the Ivindo River. A first list has already been published by Brosset & Dragesco (1967), and information on the distribution of certain species has been provided in other non-faunistic papers (Brosset 1966, 1968, 1969, 1971a, 1971b, 1974, Brosset & Erard 1974, 1976). In the present paper we have only included informa- tion which modifies materially the known distribution of the species inclu- ded, for passerines with particular reference to the maps of Hall & Moreau (1970). Gyps AFRICANUS White-backed Vulture A brown-backed immature observed at length at M’Passa, 18 August 1976, circling at low altitudes above the laboratory campus eventually disappearing to the northeast following the Ivindo River after gaining height. No previous record. SAROTHRURA ELEGANS Buff-spotted Flufftail Not previously recorded from Gabon (cf. Keith e¢ a/. 1970: 30). In fact it occurs throughout the northeast of the country, although apparently less abundantly than S. pulchra, rufa and boehmi. Only recognition of its striking song permitted discovery, heard Nov—Apr, especially at night. Normally [Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 1977: 97(4)] 126 the ‘“‘wail” lasts 3-4 seconds; but in January 1977 one bird was heard tegu- larly for hours emitting ‘“‘wails” lasting 6 seconds followed by silences of 5 seconds. Inhabits primary forest and old secondary growth, preferring areas of dense undergrowth, fallen logs, heavy marantaceous growth, and also the edges of streamlets, where it is found with S. pulchra, which, as well known, is addicted to the vicinity of water or at least muddy terrain and even marshy places. S. rufa and boehmi occur in clearings, not in forest: rufa in stretches of rank herbaceous growth in more or less marshy areas, where boehmi also occuts but less commonly. S. boehmi prefers and is quite common on the edges of similar herbage on dry ground, where the growth is shorter, with scattered low shrubs such as Tremum and Solanum. In the same habitat as boehmi and also in dense herbaceous growth (Aphramomum), on several occasions we have heard songs and calls corresponding to the descriptions of the voice of /ugens by Keith e¢ al. (1970: 49) and to the recordings by Chappuis (1975: 438). However, having neither collected nor even seen a specimen, we hesitate to admit /ugens to the Gabon list. Incidentally, Keith et al. (1970: 47) associate its habitat with that of rufa rather than boehmi, but their data were scanty. CERCOCOCCYxX MECHOWI Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo CERCOCOCCYX OLIVINUS Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo Not recorded previously from Gabon, although their presence has been suspected by reason of their occurrence in southern Cameroons (Malbrant & Maclatchy 1949: 202, Bouet 1961: 473); but indeed both occur in north- eastern Gabon, o/ivinus being very common. Like many forest birds, recogni- tion of their songs (Chappuis 1974: 215-217) is the only means of estimating their abundance. Both inhabit the upper strata of primary forest, to be seen from time to time in foraging parties of mixed insectivorous species. In contrast to olivinus, mechoni seems to prefer the edges of rivers and streams almost exclusively. CHRYSOCOCCYX FLAVIGULARIS Yellow-throated Green Cuckoo Very common in northeastern Gabon, in primary and old secondary forest. Only knowledge of the song (cf. Chappuis 1974: 218) permits appreci- ation of its abundance, for it is rarely seen near the ground, and is virtually a permanent inhabitant of the forest canopy. LopHOsTRIX (=JUBULA) LETTII Maned Owl Known from Rio Muni and southern Cameroons (Malbrant & Maclatchy 1949: 245, Bouet: 617), its occurrence in Gabon could have been suspected. We have seen and collected it on various occasions around Makokou. Without doubt less rare than it seems to be, probably because nothing is known about its voice. It inhabits primary forest. We have found it near rivers or streams, but this does not necessarily indicate that it is attached thereto as are the fishing owls Scotopelia peli and bowvieri. It seems useful to stress, in the light of our views of live birds in the field, how deficient is the guidance in most identification manuals. The defect in illustrations is not so much in colour as in shape. In nature, one is reminded of a small eagle owl Bubo, coloured in general a warm rufous-maroon with coarse, irregular cream spots on the wing-coverts, the abdomen rufous 127 [Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 1977: 97(4)] fawn broadly striated with blackish brown, face rufous broadly encircled with black but with the cheeks underlined with white and the forehead creamy white. The shape is very rounded, as much the body as the head, recalling that of Scotopelia peli as figured in plate 35 in Mackworth-Praed & Grant (1970: 485). However, the most striking and determinate character is not the “mane” as many illustrations represent but the very long “‘ears’’ standing up at 45 degrees, these tufts being much larger than those of the Long-eared Owl Aso otus. The plate in Burton (1973: 114) is good so far as the drawing and general coloration are concerned. However, the facial disc and chest should have been a much darker rufous, and the “ears” as prominent as in the plate of Bubo sumatrana (op. cit.: 90). The sexual dimorphism in size is very pronounced, the male being a good one-third smaller than the female. Also, the male has the chest more brown-grey, less rufous, and the abdominal striations clearly narrower than in the female. Reproduction is probably in the short dry season, since on 27 March 1974 we obtained a juvenile (conserved in the Museum in Paris), of which the whole head and upper part of the mantle and chest are still in white down; while on the nape the tips are barred with rufous fawn, blackish brown and white. The general tone of the plumage is also lighter than in the adult, more uniformly cinnamon-rufous, especially on the secondaries, which lack any greyish brown to blackish brown vermiculations. CALANDRELLA CINEREA Red-capped Lark On several occasions, in large clearings containing very open, grassy areas (e.g. the Makokou airfield), we observed in the short dry season (Dec- Feb) Ca/andrella larks. One collected was C. cinerea saturatior, a form suspected of transequatorial movements (White 1961: 40). Nevertheless, on 12/14 October 1973, in small enclosed savannas at Booué, several individuals were in song. Does the species nest in Gabon? PsEUDOCHELIDON EURYSTOMINA African River Martin The population of this species nesting in Zaire spends the off-season on the coast of Gabon, from late May at least until the end of October (Berlioz 1953: 136, and especially Chapin 1953: 732). The sojourn in Gabon is doubt- less longer, since the birds do not reappear in numbers on their breeding grounds until the lowering of water-levels in the second half of January. In northeastern Gabon the local people did not know it and we had never seen it until its occurrence was verified in 1977 at Makokou. The first indivi- duals (11 in all) were identified by their call and peculiar shape, circling among some Fiirundo rustica around the laboratory buildings at M’Passa on 22 January. From 6 to 11 February it was seen daily: up to 50 individuals at M’Passa, several hundreds at the old airfield at Makokou (600 on 6/7, 1,000 On 8, 200 on 9, 300 on Io and 250 on 11 Feb). On 15 February, only two were noted at M’Passa, on 24th 100 at Makokou, on 28th 30 at M’Passa and double the number next day and over 120 by 5 March. Subsequently, c. 50 were still at Makokou on 7, 13 and 14 Match; ¢. 60, on 15th and ¢. 200 on 16 March. At M’Passa 6 were seen on 11th, 20 on 14th and 7 on 24 March, on the eve of our departure from Gabon. Thus this martin was present around Makokou at a time corresponding to the breeding season. Excluding the observations of 24 February, 5 and 16 March, the largest numbers were seen 6-11 February, which suggests a (Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 1977: 97(4)] 128 passage movement, with the subsequent persistence of smaller, erratic numbers. We were unable to explore local rivers to locate a possible breeding site on exposed sand-banks, and inquiries of fishermen were negative. The waters of the Ivindo and its tributaries were still high at that time in 1977, levels being not as low as normal for the short dry season, and there were no entirely bare sand-banks around Makokou. However, large areas of seasonal- ly bare sand scarcely exist locally, but there may be more extensive ones upstream, in areas which it was impossible to visit. At M’Passa, the birds were usually seen between 0700 and ogoo hrs around buildings. Later in the day they hunted above the river and adjacent forest. At Makokou they were grouped together in the early morning, and especially so also in the late afternoon above the airfield, which they left at nightfall, apparently to resort to a roosting site on the river. At the evening gatherings the birds circled high up with much calling, not closely grouped but somewhat scattered. Aerial displays were also evident, individuals in pairs or trios pursuing one another, and hovering against the wind, with intermittent little jingling songs. At low altitudes they would concentrate into a packed group whose evolutions recalled those of the European Starling Sturnus vulgaris. Often all would rest on the large earth track of the airfield, or sometimes on the electric wires. At M’Passa, individuals were often noticed on the metallic roofs of houses or the slender branches of bushes. On the river, we also saw them perched on bare branches at the tops of tall trees. On the ground, the species resembles more a small pratincole than a hirundine, while some of its calls are like those of a tern. Displays were also witnessed on the ground, always between two individuals or a pair: body horizontal, tips of the wings drooping, “shoulders” part opened, head horizontal but neck much stretched vertically, they would run parallel to one another, then face each other and perform a kind of pivoted dance, with a lateral displacement away from one another, emitting jingling calls. On other occasions, one individual would approach another, in a vertically stretched posture, and nervously dig the ground (or even attempt it on the iron of a roof!) with the beak. These varied postures surely indicate that the birds were about to breed: suitable banks of sand must have been available not far away. Macronyx croceus Yellow-throated Longclaw This savanna-dweller is more widespread than is suggested by the map in Hall & Moreau (1970: 45). Apart from the specimens from Fernan Vaz and Mouila mentioned by Rand ef a/. (1959: 363), there exist others in the Museum in Paris from Franceville, Port Gentil and Nyanga. We found it well represented in meadows, in enclosed savanna, at Booué. MoracILLA ALBA White Wagtail An example of this Palaearctic migrant was well seen at Makokou, 22 December 1972; apparently the first record from Gabon. ALETHE POLIOCEPHALA Brown-chested Alethe With reference to the observations on A. poliocephala by Brosset & Erard (1976: 224-230), C. W. Benson has drawn our attention to the evident similarity of a nest (especially its site in a cleft some 4 m above the ground) and eggs of Alethe choloensis (Benson & Benson 1947: 284), which is in the same superspecies as poliocephala (Hall & Moreau 1970: 120). 129 [Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 1977: 97(4)] TURDUS CAMARONENSIS Black-eared Ground-thrush Up to the present only 7. princei was known from Gabon (Brosset & Erard 1976: 220). However, at M’Passa on 30 June 1976 we caught in a mistnet an immature ground-thrush which caused us to suspect initially, but wrongly (cf. Chapin 1953: 576), that 7. camaronensis was merely the young of princei. In January and February 1977 we caught two pairs, certainly adult. One of the birds was unfortunately killed in the nets by a predator on 1 January, and is now in the Museum in Paris. It proved to be a male with testes much developed, evidently ready to breed. It has been compared by C. W. Benson and C. H. Fry with specimens in the British Museum, and agrees with specimens from southern Cameroons of the nominate race. The difference in size between the two species is clear not only from meas- urements (cf. Prigogine 1965) but also from weights. Two princez captured weighed 59 and 61 g, whereas 5 camaronensis had a mean of 44 (42-47) g. Ecological separation between the two species is not yet evident: they have both been found in the under storey of primary forest or at the lowest levels. I. princei was observed on the ground searching for food, turning over dead leaves, and excavating the earth accumulated on dead stumps, branches and decomposed trunks in dense areas of fallen wood. 7. camaronensis was like- wise caught in such dense areas or their edges. Perhaps there is no difference in habitat, perhaps only in diet, in the kinds and sizes of food taken. It is rematkable that between 15 December 1976 and 25 March 1977 no nest of camaronensis was found, though 4 adults were captured, including (as above) one in breeding condition. On the other hand, three clutches of eggs of princei (c/1, c/2, c/3) were discovered, but none was caught. It is also surpris- ing that no song was ever heard, but merely some contact calls between a pair of prince/ (a “‘tsssrrr” drawn out at the end, rolling, very reminiscent of the calls of Fraseria cinerascens ot Muscicapa caerulescens). PICATHARTES OREAS' Red-headed Rockfow] The map in Hall & Moreau (1970: 149) does not show any Gabonese locality. This cave-lover nests at Bélinga from March to May (Brosset 1965). ACROCEPHALUS BAETICATUS African Reed Warbler A male collected on 18 April 1965 at Makokou, in a dense growth of sugar-cane near habitations, is the first record. The specimen (now in the Museum in Paris) has been compared by C. W. Benson with the material in the British Museum of A. b. cinnamomeus (6 specimens from Darfur and 9 from Zambia and Malawi), A. b. nyong (only known by the type, from Cameroons) and the type of A. b. minor. It is referable to cinnamomeus, which is confirmed by C. H. Fry, who examined it independently. SYLVIA COMMUNIS Whitethroat During January 1973 one was observed daily in the ornamental bushes of a garden at M’Passa. It occupied a very small territory (¢. 40 = 40 m), and fed under the verandah of a house on insects attracted to a lamp left alight through the night. This warbler, the only individual we have ever seen in Gabon, is unusual in a forested region (cf. Moreau 1972: 109). APALIS NIGRICEPS Black-capped Apalis Not previously recorded. C. Chappuis believes he heard it in the Makokou area, but without proof. In March 1977 we saw it at Bélinga, but could not [Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 1977: 97(4)] 130 obtain a specimen. It inhabits the top of the canopy of primary forest, where it is very difficult to detect except on the edges of clearings. It was impossible to estimate its abundance since at the time it was not singing. APALIS GOSLINGI Gosling’s Apalis Fairly common in primary forest on the edges of large water-courses and on islets in the Ivindo River, in pairs, exploring the middle and upper strata of the vegetation. Hall & Moreau (1970: 186) and White (1962: 705) regard it as a race of A. sharpii, but the voice of gos/ingi is quite different from that of sharpii, as shown by a comparison of tape recordings made in Gabon and the Ivory Coast. On the other hand, the voices of sharpit and rufogularis are very similar (C. Chappuis, pers. comm.). MuscicaPipaE Flycatchers An etho-ecological study and taxonomic revision of all 30 species of flycatchers occurring in northeastern Gabon is in preparation (C. E.). In this note it is only necessary to bear in mind the salient faunistic data in Hall & Moreau. Muscicapa infuscata (= Artomyias fuliginosa), M. epulata and M. (= Pedilorhynchus) comitata are widespread in clearings and plantations as well as in secondary forest. M. o/ivascens is strictly confined to the canopy of primary forest, while MZ. cassini frequents only the banks of rivers and lightly inundated forest. Myioparus plumbeus and griseigularis replace one another: the former in secondary growth, the latter in primary forest. The two Fraseria spp. ate equally plentiful: ocreata as much in secondary as in the canopy of primary forest, cinerascens in inundated forest and on the edges of watercourses. Megabyas flammulatus occuts, uncommonly, in secondary and in the top of the canopy of primary forest. Hylota violacea (if not a sylviid, thus cf. Traylor 1970: 396) has been noted in primary forest but seems rare. Batis minima inhabits the tops of tall trees in secondary growth (Erard 1975: 239). The genus P/atysteira (including Dzaphorophyia) is represented by 5 species, relatively common: cyanea in stabilised ecotones near villages, concreta in the undergrowth of primary forest, blissetti chalybea in the lower strata of abandoned plantations and secondary forest, castanea in the mid- strata of primary and old secondary forest, tonsa in the high canopy of pri- mary forest. Erythrocercus mccallii is widespread in the top of primary forest, also near small streams in secondary growth. Trochocercus nigromitratus inhabits the undergrowth of primary forest. A male of Terpsiphone viridis plumbeiceps, now in the Museum in Paris, was collected in the long dry season on 14 June 1963, in a party of insectivores in primary forest: evidently an occasional visitor. Phenotypes of 7. rufocinerea occur around Makokou, their behaviour and ecology indicating them to be merely morphs of 7. viridis, a species inhabiting secondary growth. In primary forest, abutting into old secondary, 7. batesi occurs, apparently a good species. 7. rufiventer tricolor is occasional in primary growth. PARUS FUNEREUS Dusky Tit Described from Gabon, without a precise locality (J. & E. Verreaux 1855), and never recorded since until we saw a pair on 24 June 1976 near Mékambo in an area of old abandoned cultivation, foraging in the top of the vegetation. In March 1977 we found it very widespread at Bélinga, in 131 [Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 1977: 97(4)] the top of the canopy of primary forest, in groups of 8-15, each group mov- ing through areas of 12-15 ha. Their calls are far-carrying, reminiscent of those of Dicrurus or the whistling notes of Fraseria ocreata. ANTHOSCOPUS FLAVIFRONS Yellow-fronted Penduline Tit Commoner than might be supposed from rare sightings. Our Gabonese assistants brought us empty nests from time to time. Inhabits the top of the canopy of primary forest, where it lives in family groups circulating through considerable areas. Difficult to detect from the ground except by a trained ear. PHOLIDORNIS RUSHIAE Tit-Hylia Found only once, on 14 January 1975, near the laboratory at M’Passa: 4 individuals were in a mixed species party of insectivores in shrubs on the edge of a clearing, but quickly gained height into the tops of tall trees, to disappear into bordering primary forest. Their appearance and foraging method (they moved rapidly through the foliage, inspecting the petioles and stems of leaves) were reminiscent of warblers or sunbirds. Here is another example of a small species inhabiting the upper strata of the forest, passing as rarer than it really is. PLOCEUS SUPERCILIOSUS Compact Weaver Only previously recorded from Gabon at Mouila (Rand ef a/. 1959: 321), a male, now in the Museum in Paris, was collected on 5 March 1963 at Mako- kou, in plantations bordering the Ivindo River. Pioceus prEussI Golden-backed Weaver PLOCEUs DORSOMACULATUS Yellow-capped Weaver P. preussi was collected by Rougeot (Berlioz & Rougeot 1951: 75) at Oyem, not at Libreville as Malbrant & Maclatchy (1949: 401) indicate, and copied by Hall & Moreau (1970: 292). It exists in small numbers around Makokou and Mékambo. P. dorsomaculatus had not previously been recorded from Gabon, although its occurrence was suspected, until we found it at Mékambo. The two species inhabit secondary growth, notably old plantations. They live in pairs or family groups, and are found on occasion in mixed species parties of insectivores. A very clear ecological segregation was established at Mékambo: preussi exploits the trunks and large branches of trees, systematically excavating the bark in the manner of a nuthatch or woodpecker, whereas dorsomaculatus exploits the foliage. PLOCEUS TRICOLOR Yellow-mantled Weaver Only previously recorded by Rougeot, who obtained a specimen near Libreville (in the Museum in Paris), this weaver is actually widespread in northeastern Gabon in secondary forest, nowhere abundant, living in pairs, often in mixed species parties of insectivores. It favours the highest strata of the vegetation, where it feeds and nests: facts which make it appear even less common than it is in reality. GRAFISIA TORQUATA White-collared Starling Not previously recorded from Gabon. A pair was observed on 4 March 1975 at 2okm from Makokou towards Mékambo, and 3 individuals (of which a male was well seen) on 9 March at M’Passa. All were in clearings, and were evidently vagrants. [Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 1977: 97(4)] 132 Acknowledgements: We ate indebted to C. Chappuis for information on the voice of various species; and to C. W. Benson for having examined certain specimens, and having commen- ted on and translated our manuscript. References: Benson, C. W. & Benson, F. M. 1947. Some breeding and other records from Nyasaland. Ibis 89: 279-290. Berlioz, J. 1953. Etude d’une collection d’oiseaux du Gabon. Bull. Mus. Nat. Hist. Nat. 25: 130-138. Berlioz, J. & Rougeot, P. C. 1951. Etude d’une collection d’oiseaux du Gabon. Bul/. Mus. Nat. Hist. Nat. 23: 66-76. Bouet, G. 1961. Oiseaux del’ Afrique tropicale, 2eme partie. Paris: O.R.S.T.O.M. Brosset, A. 1965. La biologie de Picathartes oreas. Biol. Gabonica 1: 101-115. — 1966. Recherches sur la composition qualitative et quantitative des populations de vertébrés dans la foret primaire du Gabon. Biol. Gabonica 2: 163-177. — 1968. Localisation écologique des migrateurs paléarctiques dans la foret équatoriale du Gabon. Biol. Gabonica 4: 211-226. — 1969. La vie sociale des oiseaux dans une foret équatoriale du Gabon. Biol. Gabonica 5: 29-69. — 1971 a. Recherches sur la biologie des Pycnonotidés du Gabon. Biol. Gabonica 7: 425-460. — 1971 b. Premiéres observations sur la reproduction de six oiseaux africains. Alauda 39: 112-126. — 1974. La nidification des oiseaux en foret gabonaise: architecture, situation des nids et prédation. Terre et Vie 28: 479-510. Brosset, A. & Dragesco, J. 1967. Oiseaux collectés et observés dans le haut Ivindo. Bio/. Gabonica 3: 59-88. Brosset, A. & Erard, C. 1974. Note sur la reproduction des [//adopsis de la foret gabonaise. Alauda 42: 385-395. — — 1976. Premiére description de la nidification de quatre espéces en foret gabonaise. Alauda 44: 205-235. Burton, J. A. (ed.) 1973. Ow/s of the World. Baltes: Peter Lowe. Chapin, J. P. 1953. The birds of the Belgian Congo, vol. 3. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 75 A. Chappuis, C. 1974-75. Illustration sonore de problémes bioacoustiques posés par les oiseaux de la zone éthiopienne. Alauda 42: 197-222; 43: 427-474. Erard, C. 1975. Affinités de Batis minima (J. et E. Verreaux) et de B. ituriensis Chapin. L’Oiseau et R.F.O. 45: 235-240. Hall, B. P. & Moreau, R. E. 1970. An Atlas of Speciation in African Passerine Birds. London: Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist.). Keith, S., Benson, C. W. & Irwin, M. P. S. 1970. The genus Sarothrura (Aves, Rallidae). Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 143 (1): 1-84. Mackworth-Praed, C. W. & Grant, C. H. B. 1970. Birds of West Central and Western Africa, vol. 1. London: Longman. Malbrant, R. & Maclatchy, A. 1949. Faune de I’ Equateur Africain Francais. I. Oiseaux. Paris: Lechevalier. Moreau, R. E. 1972. The Palaearctic- African Bird Migration Systems. London & New York: Academic Press. Prigogine, A. 1965. Notes sur quelques Geokichla de la République du Congo. Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. 71: 230-244. Rand, A. L., Friedmann, H. & Traylor, M. A. 1959. Birds from Gabon and Moyen Congo. Fieldiana: Zoology 41: 219-411. Traylor, M. A. 1970. Notes on African Muscicapidae. [bis 112: 395-397. Verreaux, J. & E. 1855. Oiseaux nouveaux du Gabon. J. Orn. 3: 101-106. White, C. M. N. 1961. A Revised Check List of African Broadbills, Pittas, Larks ¢ C. Lusaka: Dept. of Game & Fisheries. — 1962. A check list of the Ethiopian Muscicapidae (Sylviinae). Part III. Occ. Papers Nat. Mus. South. Rhod. 24 B: 695-738. Addresses: A. Brosset, Laboratoire d’Ecologie Générale, Muséum Nationale d’Histoire Naturelle, 4 Avenue du Petit-Chateau, 91800 Brunoy, France. C. Erard, Laboratoire de Zoologie, Mammiféres et Oiseaux, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, 55 Rue de Buffon, 75005 Paris, France. 133 [Bull, Brit. Orn. Cl. 1977: 97(4)] Cervical Neossoptiles in a Neotropical Passerine by Charles T. Collins and Kristen E. Bender Received 11 August 1977 The natal pterylosis of passerine birds has been shown at times to provide limited information on taxonomic relationships (Markus 1972, Collins & Kemp 1976 and references therein). The tracts bearing neossoptiles have been outlined by Wetherbee (1957) and Markus (1970). In the cervical region they recorded neossoptiles only from the ventral surface and then only in a few species and from rare individuals of other species. In a study of the natal pterylosis of Neotropical passerines we have found the presence of downs in the dorsal cervical region of the Red-capped Cardinal Paroaria gularis, which constitutes a new neossoptile pteryla for passerines. (Dorsal cervical downs have also been recently found for one altricial non-passerine species, the Rufous-breasted Hermit Hummingbird G/aucis hirsuta (Collins in press). The two specimens used in this study were collected by C.T.C. on 24 July 1976 from a nest found ¢ 50km south of Calaboso, Est. Guarico, Vene- zuela. One specimen was newly hatched and the second was removed from TABLE 1. Natal downs of Paroaria gularis Tracts Number of Neossoptiles Specimen 1(a) Specimen 2(b) Coronal 13/12(c) 12/14 Occipital 4/4 4/4 Cervical (dorsal) 3/3 4/3 Mid-dorsal 8/8 6/5 Pelvic (lateral) 3/4 8/7 Pelvic (medial) (d) 12 14 Scapular 8/10 10/10 Femoral 10/10 12/t3 Abdominal 14/13 11/13 Crural CIét2 11/10 Upper rectrix covert 6/6 5/5 Primary 5/6 o/o Secondary 2/2 3/2 Greater secondary covert 10/10 9/10 Middle secondary covert 8/8 = i, Lesser secondary covert 2/3 o/o Carpel remex covert 1/1 1/1 Patagial covert 1/o o/o Total number of downs 233 221 Notes: a. older specimen: collected as newly hatched chick b. younger specimen: collected from unhatched egg ¢. umber of neossoptiles in tract: right/left d. single tract on midline (all other tracts paired). an egg which we would have expected to hatch within 24 hours. The distribu- tion of the neossoptiles and the number occurring in each tract are presented in Table 1. The total number of neossoptiles for each bird was quite similar and there was little variation within the tracts with the exception of some of the tracts of the alar region. In specimen 1 the dorsal cervical downs were [Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 1977: 97(4)] 134 present in two closely paired antero-postero rows of three straddling the midline; in specimen 2 there were 4 on the left side and three on the right (Fig. 1). 0, eect e : r 2 BS e068. é ry oeteese? © Seece 2 @ essee? ee ad $3 Hi ( Te Chae @@ ‘/ sd rs) e%e ‘é p} ys ee Figure 1. Distribution of neossoptiles in Paroaria gularis specimens 1 and 2 (see Table 1): each dot represents a single feather. In ossine passerines the lateral pelvic downs, if present, are usually con- fined to rows of only 1-3 downs flanking the posterior portion of a single medial pelvic row. The downs on the pelvic region of Paroaria were some- what unusually prominent. This was particularly true in the unhatched specimen where the downs, in groups of 2, 2, and 4, formed a discontinuous row on the left side, while groups of 2 and 5 formed the row on the right side; in the hatched specimen the downs wete in continuous groups of 3 and 4 downs on the two sides. The lateral pelvic rows of both specimens were exactly aligned with the anterior paired rows of neossoptiles in the mid-dorsal region. In fact, the separation of these into pelvic and mid-dorsal regions of the spinal tract was nearly arbitrary in the younger specimen. 135 [Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 1977: 97(4)] Well developed rows of lateral pelvic downs have recently also been noted in the House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus (Collins & Bender in press). The pattern of distribution of pelvic region neossoptiles deserves further atten- tion and may prove to be of some assistance in determining taxonomic relationships in these perplexing groups of passerines. References: Collins, C. T. (in press). Natal pterylosis of hummingbirds. Bu//. So. Calif. Acad. Sci. — &K.E. Bender (in press). Natal pterylosis of the House Finch. Bull. So. Calif. Acad. Sci. — &M.H. Kemp. 1976. Natal pterylosis of Sporophila finches. Wilson Bull. 88: 154-157. Markus, M. B. 1970. A preliminary survey of the occurrence of neossoptiles in South African passeriform bitds, with special reference to natal pterylosis. M.S. Thesis, Univ. of Pretoria. (University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Mich. No. M-2297). — 1972. Notes on the natal plumage of South African passeriform birds. Ostrich 3: 17-22. Wetherbee, D. K. 1957. Natal plumages and downy pteryloses of passerine birds of North America. Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. 113: 339-436. Address: Department of Biology, California State University, Long Beach, California 90840, U.S.A. Charadrius semipalmatus in the Azores by Robert Fludson Received 10 August 1977 In analyses of Canadian shorebird ringing studies, McNeil & Burton (1975, Emu 74, suppl.: 316 and 1977, Welson Bull. 89: 167-171) made incidental references to a Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus recovered in the Azores. Since this is the only record of this species (or semi- species) for the western Palaearctic (a 1916 British record stands rejected as one of the ‘Hastings Rarities’) it merits proper documentation. At the end of September 1972 the British Trust for Ornithology received notification from Senhor Dalberto T. Pombo, an Azores resident, that a Charadrius sp. carrying a ring (Washington 104184883) had been captured on the 25 September 1972 on the island of Santa Maria. These details were forwarded to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who advised that it was a C. semipalmatus, tinged as a two-year old bird four weeks previously, on 24 July 1972, on Grindstone, one of the Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (Quebec Province, Canada). The Semipalmated Plover breeds in Alaska and northern Canada, and winters coastally from the U.S.A. to Patagonia. It is the New World counter- part of the Eurasian Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula, which also breeds, marginally, in arctic Canada (Ellesmere, Bylot and Baffin Islands), though wintering exclusively in the Old World. Sa ee British Trust for Ornithology, Beech Grove, Tring, Hertfordshire, HP23 5NR, ngland. IN BRIEF Telacanthura ussheri benguellensis in Zambia Benson & Winterbottom (Bw//. Brit. Orn. Cl. 97, 1977: 46-48) made no reference to any record of this spinetail in Bu//. Zambian Orn. Soc. 1(1)—8(2), 1969-76. A perusal of the plethora of data in that journal from Zambia as a [Bull. Brit. Orn. Cl. 1977: 97(4)] 136 whole reveals observations of it only from the Middle Zambezi Valley and the ecologically similar lower Luangwa Valley (Aspinwall, 4(1), 1972: 7; 7(2), 1975: 49). This accords with Benson & Winterbottom’s suggestion that in the south of its range 7. 4. benguellensis may be confined to dry decid- uous woodland whete baobabs occut. 18 July 1977 C. W. Benson Address: Dept. of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge, CBz 3EJ, England. Nesting of the Jabiru Stork Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis in West Africa On 4 December 1975, whilst flying along the Comoe River in the Comoe National Park, northern Ivory Coast in a Bell 206B “‘Jet Ranger” helicopter, piloted by Captain A. Arney, I noticed an adult Jabiru Stork Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis standing on a nest in the canopy of a large white silk cotton tree Ceiba pentandra, growing in the riverine forest at 08° 56’ N, 03° 54’ W. With- out going too close, we circled the nest tree and were able to see that the nest contained three well grown chicks, still apparently in white down. Their beaks appeared to be black. Although Jabiru’s are widely recorded in West Africa, they seem to be uncommon. Nesting was not reported by Bannerman (1953) and Mackworth- Praed & Grant (1970) report nest building in January in Senegal as the only evidence of breeding in West Africa. Thus, this Ivory Coast observation appears to be the first definite breeding record for West Africa. Thanks are due to Dr. L. G. Grimes for checking the literature. 19 July 1977 J. Frank Walsh References : Bannerman, D. A., 1953. The Birds of West Equatorial Africa, Vol. I, Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd. Mackworth-Praed, C. W. & Grant, C. H. B., 1970. Birds of West Central and Western Africa, Vol. I. London: Longmans. Address: B.P. 549, Ouagadougou, Republic of Upper Volta, West Africa BOOKS RECEIVED SIMON, HILDA. 1977. Lhe Courtship of Birds. Pp. 1-190. Profusely illustrated by the author in colour. Cassell: London. £5.50. The author has illustrated her own choice of birds in courtship display, from the simple songster to the exotic paradise birds, acrobatic manakins and hard-labouring Adelie Penguins. There is a good deal of artistic licence in the pleasant pastel shade painted drawings in both their content and colour. The text includes little that is original. MARGOSCHIS, R. 1977. Recording Natural History Sounds. Pp. 1-109. 34 photographs, dia- grams. Print and Press Services Ltd: Barnet, London. £4.00 hardback; £2.75 paperback. Detailed and experienced advice and explanation for the beginner in the field of outdoor recording, with a commendable absence of jargon. GLASIER, P. 1977. As the Falcon her Bells. Pp. 1-223. Many photographs. White Lion Publishers Ltd: London. £5.95. Originally published in 1963, now te-printed with a new preface by the author, in which he emphasises that the book was never intended to be technical and is indeed a light auto- biographical account of episodes in the authort’s considerable experiences in falconry, including those in the company of his well-known uncle, the late Captain Charles Knight. LANCASTER, D. A. 1976. The Living Bird. Fifteenth Annual (1976) of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Pp. 1-254. No price. (Dated 1976, publication date 15 June 1977.) A most sumptuous production, with many beautiful pai : white by leading American artists and two British, ma hotographs ahd diagrams, to illustrate the nine well presented papers of more than avgragejinterest and seientific content. ae -_* see ' - £ “3 Pah . a, ; ge “x at Sry ate’ 43h! tere hey) Se) a bs ister: ee = ee Sete nt "i é - = os 2 i we J a , = x ae " 7 es) ts bn ae © we Tea er 4 et eae + «; ie sea mee NS ht eee Ty c oa OF FErIOK ’ ra ey Poe r _ a? ¢ 7 oe vee a oF ee te ae © pe, Bais “ine oxtail. Sufkaoe) andl phi oe a r Lhieded ’ ze | ro) oo Cre ¢ ono COTS - tpi f ro page Me F ee agit +h on 1 2 ci (Hu tpt rae - Pe ty a side , b's Sei: sQohecswyt iby eine ct we eyibtes ee, | * * ‘ a oh a 2 hd pe> ates ° ‘ ‘ ‘ * “Ane rey ate ¢ 7 TE oF Us! 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